Dr Michał Wiśniewski at the EMYA 2026 conference and awards ceremony in Bilbao

The European Museum of the Year Award (EMYA) 2026 conference and awards ceremony took place from 10 to 14 June 2026. The Museum of Engineering and Technology in Kraków was the only institution from Poland among the nominees. Dr Michał Wiśniewski from the Educational Department – Heritage Academy at the International Cultural Centre (ICC) moderated one of the discussion panels during the event. 

The conference and awards ceremony for the 2026 European Museum of the Year Award (EMYA) took place in Bilbao. This is where Euskararen Etxea, the House of the Basque Language, winner of the 2025 EMYA, is based. From Wednesday 10 June to Sunday 14 June 2026, museum professionals from across Europe and those working in the broader field of cultural heritage gathered to discuss inclusivity in cultural institutions and initiatives to enhance their accessibility. One of the most important museum events of the year was held under the slogan: “Disrupting the Museum: Inclusion for All”. Dr Michał Wiśniewski from the MCK, a historian and curator of numerous exhibitions, who is a member of the Board of Trustees of the European Museum Forum (EMF), took part in the event. This is the most important organisation bringing together museums across the European continent, operating under the patronage of the Council of Europe. 

Reflections on inclusivity and experiencing culture with all the senses 

This gathering of cultural institutions that are particularly committed to fulfilling a social mission and are innovative in their work provided an opportunity to discuss values and new ideas for museum activities, as well as to reflect on the role of museums in the modern world through the lens of accessibility and inclusivity. Dr Michał Wiśniewski moderated the panel during the conference entitled “Connecting public through the senses”, during which the rapidly expanding range of multisensory museum experiences—which engage all the senses simultaneously—was discussed. The discussion centred on how design that brings the sensory experience to the fore can enrich the visitor’s experience, or conversely overwhelm it, and how it influences memory, its formation, empathy and social engagement. The panel, led by an expert from the ICC, was attended by representatives from institutions in Germany, Belgium and Spain. 

EMYA 2026 – a prestigious museum award

Thirty-four institutions from 17 countries have been nominated for the EMYA 2026 Award. Among them, alongside the Museum of Engineering and Technology in Kraków, which showcases a modern and innovative approach to technical heritage, were institutions from Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Spain, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Germany, Portugal, Slovenia, Switzerland, Turkey, Hungary and the United Kingdom. The nominated museums presented their achievements and projects during the conference in Bilbao.

On 13 June, the European Museum Forum announced the winners of the EMYA 2026 awards. The title of European Museum of the Year 2026 was awarded to Den Gamle By. National Open-Air Museum of Urban History and Culture in Aarhus (Denmark). The Council of Europe Museum Prize was awarded to the Young V&A in London (United Kingdom). The Kenneth Hudson Prize for institutional courage and professional integrity went to the Museum of Madness Institute in Trate (Slovenia), the Silletto Award for Community Engagement to the AlpenStadtMuseum Sonthofen (Germany), the Portimão Award for Openness and Inclusivity to the Museo Etnografico della Valle di Muggio in Cabbio (Switzerland), and the Sustainability Award to the Lahti Museum of Visual Arts Malva in Lahti (Finland).

EMYA is the most prestigious award in the European museum sector, presented since 1977 under the patronage of the Council of Europe, alongside the Council of Europe Museum Prize. Both awards aim to support innovative initiatives in the museum sector, as well as to promote democratic values, intercultural dialogue, diversity and human rights. The European Museum Forum is the organiser of the European Museum of the Year Award 2025 (EMYA) conference and awards ceremony. It is the leading organisation representing museums across Europe, operating under the patronage of the Council of Europe.

EMYA conference programme

More information about the event 


Photos courtesy of EMYA