Compton Verney has been announced as one of five finalists for Art Fund Museum of the Year 2025, the world’s largest museum prize.

Art Fund, the national charity for museums and galleries, annually shortlists five outstanding museums for Museum of the Year. The 2025 prize recognises inspiring projects and activity from autumn 2023 through to winter 2024. In addition to looking at the overall achievements of the organisation, the judges are tasked with identifying impactful projects that spotlight the wide range of remarkable people, including museum staff and volunteers, who bring museums to life by engaging with communities, families and younger visitors, artists and creatives.

Established in 2004, Compton Verney is a vibrant cultural destination committed to making art accessible to all by connecting people with art, nature, and creativity. Home to six world-class art collections, a sculpture park, and a café, it offers enriching experiences for a wide range of audiences. Set within 120 acres of Capability Brown parkland, the galleries are housed in a Grade I-listed Robert Adam mansion, providing a distinctive backdrop to its diverse programme.

In 2024, Compton Verney unveiled its ambitious Sculpture in the Park exhibition featuring works by artists such as Sarah Lucas, Permindar Kaur, Larry Achiampong and Louise Bourgeois, complemented by a new site-specific commission by Brazilian artist Erika Verzutti.

Committed to diverse voices, the gallery regularly invites artists and communities to reimagine its 18th century facade, sparking fresh conversations about representation in cultural spaces.

All of this is on top of a world-class exhibition programme exploring everything from the legacies of Capability Brown to Louise Bourgeois, and the largest ever exhibition of work by Chila Kumari Singh Burman.

Compton Verney continues its dedication to innovative programming this year, with a large-scale multimedia exhibition of work by Emma Talbot (5 July – 5 October 2025), assembling the artist’s recent work investigating the experience of life from birth to death.

Visitor numbers reached over 117,000 in 2023-24, marking a 30% increase from pre-pandemic figures.

Community engagement thrives at Compton Verney, with over 6,000 schoolchildren visiting and participating in creativity projects, while recent initiatives include an exhibition with student-led interpretation, and a monthly dementia café. This commitment to inclusion has also earned Compton Verney the Skills West Midlands Inclusion Award for breaking down barriers to cultural careers for disabled young people.

The winning museum, recipient of £120,000, will be announced on 26 June at a ceremony at the Museum of Liverpool, the first time the event will be held outside London. £15,000 will be given to each of the four other finalists – bringing the total prize money to £180,000.

The 2025 judging panel, chaired by Art Fund director Jenny Waldman, includes: Rana Begum (Artist), Dr David Dibosa (Director of Research and Interpretation, Tate), Jane Richardson (Chief Executive, Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales) and Phil Wang (Comedian, Writer, Actor).

The judges will visit each of the finalists to inform their decision-making, while each museum will make the most of being shortlisted over the summer through events and activities for new and current visitors.

The prize is funded thanks to the generosity of Art Fund’s members who buy a National Art Pass. Art Pass holders can enjoy 50% off entry when visiting Compton Verney.

For more information, visit: comptonverney.org.uk