Den Gamle By wins European Museum of the Year award

Den Gamle By in Aarhus, Denmark, has won the European Museum of the Year award. At a ceremony in Bilbao, the museum was singled out for its approach combining historical urban settings with current social issues.

Scraper SystemJune 14, 2026, 09:31 PM

Den Gamle By wins European Museum of the Year award

Den Gamle By in Aarhus, Denmark, has won the European Museum of the Year award. The National Open Air Museum of Urban History and Culture received the title on Saturday night at the EMYA ceremony held in Bilbao, Spain.

Presenting the award, EMYA co-chair and jury member Daniëlle Kuijten described Den Gamle By as a pioneering institution that brings together historical and contemporary urban environments to address current questions like migration, sustainability and social justice.

400 years of urban history open to visitors

Den Gamle By defines itself as an open-air museum of urban history, created by ordinary people about ordinary people. Located in Denmark's second largest city, the institution offers visitors the chance to explore 400 years of history through interactive and immersive exhibitions.

The museum currently has four exhibitions. Visitors can take a journey through time from 1600 to 2014; they can see horses, encounter colourful advertising posters, get to know a nuclear family or visit the SAS ticket sales office.

Sustainability and social participation in the spotlight

Among the museum's core goals are themes like sustainability, equality and empowerment. Highlighting the institution's environmentally focused work, the jury noted that new activities include the cultivation and promotion of local heritage plant species, gardening courses and clothing and building repair workshops.

According to the award committee, Den Gamle By's main idea is to create a constantly evolving space rather than a static museum experience, and to build a public environment where everyone feels seen and heard. The committee emphasised that volunteers contribute expert knowledge and personal experience to the narratives, while participatory projects place the museum directly within public life.

Other awards also announced at the Bilbao ceremony

This year's ceremony also saw other institutions receive awards in different categories. London's Young V&A won the Council of Europe Museum Prize, while the Kenneth Hudson Award went to the Museum of Madness Institute in Trate, Slovenia.

The Museum of the Rural Civilisation of Mendrisiotto in Stabio, Switzerland, received the Portimão Museum Prize for Hospitality, Inclusivity and Belonging. In the Social Participation and Engagement category, the AlpenStadtMuseum in Sonthofen, Germany, stood out.

The Lahti Museum of Visual Arts Malva in Finland won the Museum Prize for Environmental Sustainability. In addition, special commendations were given to several institutions in Germany, Switzerland, Estonia and Greece.

The co-chairs of the EMYA Jury stated that the 2026 award winners represent a broad spectrum in terms of thematic priorities, geographies and working methods. According to the jury, the common thread uniting the institutions is a commitment to change: questioning established narratives, confronting difficult histories and strengthening their social relevance.

The 50th European Museum of the Year award ceremony was announced to take place on 30 May 2027, in Bern, Switzerland.

Den Gamle By wins European Museum of the Year award