Wilberforce House Museum has been chosen to receive the prestigious Sandford Award.
The award, which recognises excellent education programmes at museums and heritage sites across Britain, hails the museums outstanding curriculum-linked programmes focusing on the life and work of William Wilberforce.
The birthplace of the anti-slavery campaigner, Wilberforce House Museum is Hulls oldest museum. It features collections of international significance telling the story of the transatlantic slave trade, capture and enslavement, plantation life, the fight for abolition and West African culture.
Delivered by Heritage Learning, the museums educational programme sees pupils aged five to 14 taking part in thought-provoking sessions covering the life and work of Wilberforce, the transatlantic slave trade and the fight for abolition, through to West African culture.
Heritage Learning will attend an awards ceremony in November to collect the Sandford Award.
Jane Avison, head of learning at Heritage Learning, said: It is fantastic that our work at the Wilberforce House Museum is recognised nationally and perhaps more importantly, its great that the pupils of Hull and across the region have access to educational programmes of the highest quality. We want schools in the area to know that we are here to offer nationally recognised, high quality experiences for their pupils now and in the future.
Councillor Marjorie Brabazon, chair of Hull Culture and Leisure, said: The Sandford Award is fitting praise indeed for the excellent educational offering at Wilberforce House Museum. The story of William Wilberforce is of international significance and it is told nowhere better than at Wilberforce House Museum.
The Sandford Award provides a kite mark for high-quality educational provision, recognised by schools across the country and demonstrating excellence for heritage education within the museum sector.
Julie Taylor, lead judge at Sandford Award, said: Wilberforce House is an excellent example of a museum that gives visitors an insight into life in the past, the contribution of an individual who is rightly seen as a local hero, and an opportunity to consider freedom and fair play throughout the ages. The museum provides engaging, inspiring and thought provoking educational programmes that ensure that all visitors leave after a visit, knowing, feeling and understanding far more than when they arrived.
The award is administered by the Heritage Education Trust and Bishop Grosseteste University in Lincoln.
