Riverside Museum wins European Museum of the Year 2013
by Zaha Hadid Architects

The Riverside Museum, Glasgow by Zaha Hadid Architects has won the European Museum of the Year Award (EMYA) at ceremony in Tongeren, Belgium. Forty Museums from 21 countries across Europe entered this year’s awards. The European Museum of the Year Award by the European Museum Forum was founded in 1977 under the auspices of the Council of Europe, with the aim of recognising excellence and encouraging innovative processes in a museum world. The judges said: “The Riverside Museum demonstrates brilliantly how a specialist transport collection can renew its relevance through active engagement with wider social and universal issues.

The EMYA 2013 Judging Panel agreed unanimously that the museum fulfils the EMYA criteria of 'public quality' at the highest level.” Councillor Archie Graham, chairman of Glasgow Life, said it was an "outstanding achievement. Our fantastic Riverside Museum has been crowned Europe's best. That is no accident and is down to the hard work, passion and creativity of our staff who do everything they can to bring the stories of our transport and engineering past to existing and new audiences. They have made Glasgow proud." Lawrence Fitzgerald, Riverside Museum manager, added: "Everyone who has worked to make Riverside the success it is should feel incredibly proud. We were up against national museums in Edinburgh, Liverpool and major museums in France, Italy and elsewhere.”

Zaha Hadid said: “The Riverside Museum is a celebration of the passion and skills of everyone involved. The exhibits and building come together at this historic location on the River Clyde to enthuse and inspire all visitors. The design continues Glasgow’s rich engineering traditions and explores the cultural foundations that have defined the city.”

Since its opening, over two million people have visited the new Riverside Museum which showcases Glasgow’s transport, shipbuilding and engineering heritage. Riverside Museum website