INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION: The Maritime Museum. Picture: Hufton+Crow
By Simon Bristow, Co-Editor
The city’s renovated Maritime Museum has been nominated for a global award.
The city centre museum, which reopened in summer after a £20.4m transformation, has been nominated in the Museum Opening of the Year category by international arts publication Apollo Magazine.
This ranks it as one of the most significant museum openings in the world this year.
The museum – the jewel in the crown of the Hull Maritime project – is the only UK entry in the category and is competing against other leading museums and art galleries across the world, including:
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art – Bentonville, America
Los Angeles County Museum of Art – Los Angeles, America
Musée des Augustins – Toulouse, France
Princeton University Art Museum – North America
Studio Museum in Harlem – New York, America
The arts magazine, one of the oldest and most respected in the world, has held this award ceremony every year since 1992, recognising major milestones in the world of art and museums. The nomination recognises the Maritime Museum’s impact in the city’s largest heritage-led regeneration programmes for decades.
Councillor Mike Ross, leader of Hull City Council, said: “To be recognised by Apollo Magazine as one of the most significant museum openings of the year is a tremendous achievement for Hull and everyone involved in the delivery of Hull Maritime Museum.
“This nomination reflects the ambition, investment and dedication that has gone into transforming one of the city’s most important historic buildings into a world-class visitor attraction.
“The museum celebrates Hull’s unique maritime heritage through immersive galleries, remarkable collections and engaging interpretation, while the restoration has safeguarded the architectural significance of this Grade II listed building for future generations.
“Since reopening, the response from visitors has been overwhelmingly positive, and this international recognition demonstrates the growing profile of Hull as a cultural and heritage destination.”
The museum welcomed 50,000 visitors within the first month of its opening on August 8 and has helped establish Hull as one of the country’s leading maritime destinations.
It now features 25 galleries and exhibition spaces, immersive displays and previously untold stories, while also showcasing the grandeur of the building’s Victorian architecture.
Originally built as the city’s Dock Offices, the building has undergone a major restoration and refurbishment as part of the wider Hull Maritime project, funded by Hull City Council and The National Lottery Heritage Fund. The works have carefully balanced the protection of the building’s heritage with the creation of a modern, accessible and immersive museum experience.
Designed by Purcell Architects and delivered with conservation specialists Simpson of York, the restoration preserved many of the building’s original architectural features while introducing new exhibitions, interpretation and visitor facilities that bring Hull’s rich maritime story to life for contemporary audiences.
Jane Avison, Hull museums and gallery manager at Hull Culture and Leisure, said: “We are absolutely delighted that Hull Maritime Museum has been nominated for Apollo magazine’s Museum Opening of the Year award. To be recognised alongside such prestigious museums and galleries from across the world is a fantastic achievement, and particularly special to be the only museum from the UK included on this year’s shortlist.
“This nomination is a real testament to the hard work, passion and dedication of everyone involved in bringing the museum back to life. We’re incredibly proud of the transformation and of the way we are sharing Hull’s remarkable maritime heritage with new audiences. The response from visitors since reopening has been fantastic, and it’s wonderful to see Hull Maritime Museum receiving this level of international recognition.”
The winner will be announced in a ceremony at Old Sessions House in London on Thursday, November 19.
In September, the museum was been named Refurbishment / Renovation of the Year at the Insider Yorkshire Property Awards 2026.
The Maritime Museum is open Monday to Saturday, 10am to 4.30pm, and from 11am to 4pm on Sundays. Admission is free. Visitors are advised to book in advance, particularly during busy periods, although walk-up entry is available daily.