The European Museum of the Year Award is an annual award. The winner should be using innovative ways of engaging the visitors and demonstrating will to create exciting ways to talk to all visitors. The guest at the museum should feel that they are entering a unique atmosphere and gain knowledge during their visit. The museum should be socially responsible. Finally, the museum has to work actively to attract visitors.
Winners so far have developed themselves around their own, unique historical centre point and in this way contributed to create better museums/higher standard for European museums.

The EMYA is the oldest and most prestigious museum award in Europe. The main goal is to focus on and appreciate innovation in the museums all over Europe. For the award in 2013, the Norwegian museum “Lofotr Viking Museum” is one of the 28 nominees, and the only one from EXARC. In previous years, other EXARC members have been awarded this Award demonstrating the success of archaeological open-air museums.

The hope of Lofotr Viking Ship Museum is to be rewarded the EMYA 2013. Lofotr sees the nomination as both an appreciation of their work and an inspiration for work to come. The Museum has a strong vision: to attract many visitors and give engage the visitors in Viking Age history. EXARC is proud to have again one of its members in the race for this prestigious award.

The Award will be granted to one of the 28 nominees in Tongeren, Belgium 16 – 19 May 2013.

Photo copyright: Kjell Ove Storvik/Lofotr Viking Museum