Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation

The Gulbenkian Prize for Museum of the Year is funded by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation – the grant-giving organisation with a long-term reputation for pioneering innovative projects in the arts, social welfare and education. The Foundation has guaranteed the prize money of £100,000 a year for a five-year period, and it is also funding the majority of the administrative costs.

The Foundation’s founder, Calouste Gulbenkian, was one of the most distinguished private collectors in the world. The Gulbenkian Museum in Lisbon is well-known and loaned several major pieces of Lalique jewellery to the V & A’s highly acclaimed Art Nouveau exhibition in 2000 and simultaneously mounted a major exhibition of its treasures at the Metropolitan Museum in New York.

Other supporters of the Gulbenkian Prize for Museum of the Year 2005

The Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) is the national development agency working for and on behalf of museums, libraries and archives and advising government on policy and priorities for the sector. MLA supports the Gulbenkian Prize for Museum of the Year under Renaissance, its ground-breaking programme to transform England’s regional museums. For the first time ever, investment from central government is enabling regional museums across the country to raise their standards and deliver real results in support of education, community development and economic regeneration.

Sir Christopher Ondaatje CBE OC
Sir Christopher is a generous supporter of many museum developments and is passionately interested in raising awareness of the range and quality of museums and galleries in the UK.

Blackwall Green (Jewellery and Fine Art)
Specialist insurance brokers to museums and galleries both in the United Kingdom and Europe.

A supporter of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.

National Heritage: the Museums Action Movement was founded as an independent registered charity to support and promote museums and galleries in the UK, and to represent the interests of their visitors and other users. It launched the original Museum of the Year Awards in 1973.

Lloyds TSB Private Banking

The Gulbenkian Prize Patrons:

• Sir Martyn Arbib  
• Consensus Business Group
• Endsleigh Insurance Brokers

 Bank of Scotland Corporate provided sponsorship towards the costs of the judges’ travel to Scotland.

The trustees of the Museum Prize are also very grateful to the following for their support in kind:

• 24 Hour Museum
• DFJ Vinhos Lda – ‘The New Portugal’ UK Office D & F Wines
• Farrer & Co
• GLI Calderhead
• Quentin Blake CBE
• The Museums Association
• Waitrose Limited