LONDON.- The National Gallery has been announced as one of five finalists for Art Fund Museum of the Year 2026, the world’s largest museum prize. 

The winning museum, recipient of £120,000, will be announced on 25 June at a ceremony at Cutty Sark in London. £20,000 will be given to each of the four other finalists – an increase of £5,000 for each museum – bringing the total prize money to £200,000.  

Continuing its role as a museum for everyone, everywhere, the National Gallery has pledged to use its finalist’s money towards its UK National Programmes. This will build on the success recognised by Art Fund in bringing people and great art together. 

The award nomination recognises an extraordinary year at the Gallery celebrating our Bicentenary in 2024-25 with a year-long festival of art, creativity and imagination known as NG200, which set the tone for our third century. 

The ambitious programme included transforming spaces at our Trafalgar Square site including the Sainsbury Wing and the new Roden Centre for Creative Learning, both introducing new experiences for our audiences to enjoy and explore.  

With NG200 the Gallery embarked on a bold outreach plan to connect more people with paintings across the UK and beyond. The 12-month travelling art studio, Art Road Trip, inspired creativity across the nation; Jeremy Deller’s The Triumph of Art, supported by Art Fund, was a nationwide performance that incorporated public participatory events across the four nations, demonstrating how art is part of civic life and how celebratory festivals can be catalysts of collaboration and joy. We also launched 200 Creators, a network of digital content creators, brought together to reach new audiences not currently engaged with the gallery.  

The legacy of NG200 will continue through NG Citizens, a new, UK-wide project, inviting people from all four corners of the nation to help shape the future of the gallery. This programme comes at a perfect time as we enter the first stages of Project Domani, a £750 million campaign that will redefine the National Gallery for the next century, creating new spaces to house an expanded collection. 

Art Fund, the national charity for museums and galleries, annually shortlists five outstanding museums for Museum of the Year. The 2026 edition recognises inspiring projects and activity from autumn 2024 through to winter 2025. In addition to looking at the overall achievements of the organisation, judges are tasked to evaluate museums who through unexpected, innovative and forward-thinking practices, are pushing the boundaries of what a museum is or can achieve. 

Sir Gabriele Finaldi, Director of the National Gallery, London, says:  'Being shortlisted for Art Fund Museum of the Year is a very great honour, it has been wonderful to have all the hard work that went into our Bicentenary recognised in this way.  We will use this opportunity to underscore our mission of sharing the collection with the nation through our touring programme as we enter another exciting time for the Gallery with Project Domani on the horizon.'  

The National Gallery is one of the greatest art galleries in the world. Founded by Parliament in 1824, the Gallery houses the nation’s collection of paintings in the Western European tradition from the late 13th to the early 20th century. The collection includes works by Artemisia Gentileschi, Bellini, Cezanne, Degas, Leonardo, Monet, Raphael, Rembrandt, Renoir, Rubens, Titian, Turner, Van Dyck, Van Gogh and Velázquez. The Gallery’s key objectives are to enhance and care for the collection and provide the best possible access to visitors. Admission is free  

The other shortlisted museums are The Box (Plymouth), Fitzwilliam Museum (Cambridge), Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery (Norwich), V&A East Storehouse (London). 

The 2026 judging panel, chaired by Art Fund director Jenny Waldman, includes: Tony Butler OBE (Executive Director of Derby Museums), Yinka Ilori MBE (artist), Alice Loxton (historian, author and broadcaster) and June Sarpong OBE (broadcaster, writer and campaigner). 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.  

Speaking on behalf of the judges, Jenny Waldman, Director, Art Fund said: “Congratulations to The National Gallery on being shortlisted for Art Fund Museum of the Year 2026. The five shortlisted museums this year showcase extraordinary breadth of creativity and innovation, demonstrating the vital role museums play in building a brighter, more connected future for us all. From opening up world-leading collections to connecting with communities of all ages through ambitious exhibitions and programmes, each one offers something special.

“We are thrilled to celebrate their achievements as finalists for Art Fund Museum of the Year, thanks to our National Art Pass members who make the prize possible. We hope people everywhere will be inspired to explore the finalists and their local museums, to see firsthand the treasures and experiences that are open to everyone.”

The prize is funded thanks to Art Fund's members who buy a National Art Pass, alongside the many funders and individuals who generously support Art Fund's work. National Art Pass holders can enjoy 50% off exhibitions when visiting The National Gallery. Plus, until June 25, National Art Pass holders can enjoy 10% off in National Gallery shops (onsite only) on presentation of the National Art Pass and a Zurbaran exhibition ticket for that day. They can also gain access to Supporters’ House on Sundays (17 May - 21 June) for Art Fund members and a guest, on presentation of the National Art Pass and a Zurbaran exhibition ticket for that day for both the guest and the National Art Pass holder.