Experience Barnsley Museum and Discovery Centre has received national recognition for its exceptional work welcoming children and families.

Run by charity Kids in Museums, the national award is presented to one museum, gallery or heritage site in the UK that provides a great visitor experience for families. Experience Barnsley won the Best Small Museum category, going on to win the overall Family Friendly Museum Award 2025.

Winner of the Best Accessible Museum category in the Family Friendly Museum Award 2022, Experience Barnsley tells the story of Barnsley through centuries-old artefacts, documents, films and recordings donated by people living and working in the area. 

The museum explores Barnsley’s past and present through a varied programme of activities and events - all delivered by a group of passionate staff and volunteers. The curatorial team works with regular groups including Action for Autism Barnsley, Age UK and Feels Like Home, an organisation supporting refugees and asylum seekers. The win follows a record breaking milestone for visitor figures at Barnsley Museums, with two million people welcomed through the doors in 2024-25.

Launched in 2004, the Family Friendly Museum Award is widely recognised as a benchmark for excellence in the heritage sector. Each year Kids in Museums receives hundreds of public nominations, which are whittled down to a shortlist by an expert panel. Families then pay undercover visits to each shortlisted museum over the summer holidays to decide the winner.

The family judges who visited Experience Barnsley were blown away by the museum’s free entry and wide range of activities, including trails for all ages, dressing up and hands on games. Many family judges stayed for hours or until closing time. Families had great fun exploring and discussing the museum’s Stories of Childhood temporary exhibition with one another, and loved the fact it was co-created with local children. The friendly and welcoming staff and clean, well-equipped facilities both received praise. Many families also noted that seeing items donated by local people helped the museum feel deeply connected to the community.

One family judge said: “From start to finish, this place is glorious. We really loved it. Something for everyone; so much to see, do and take part in. A lot of hands on things to keep my 3 year old excited. Can’t wait to return.”

Another judge said: “There was an excellent range of activities both in the galleries and the temporary exhibition… There was a real feeling that the staff had tried to genuinely involve local people in text and objects. We all thought this was such an impressive museum.”

One of the families who nominated the museum for the award said: “There’s no faults with this museum. There’s so much to do. Educational, comfortable and accessible.”

Councillor Robin Franklin, Barnsley Council Cabinet Spokesperson for Regeneration and Culture, said:

“We are delighted to win the Family Friendly Museum Award 2025 and Best Small Museum. Providing families with free cultural and educational experiences is incredibly important, and I’m proud that Experience Barnsley Museum has been nationally recognised for doing this so well. If you’ve never visited, I’d encourage you to come to Barnsley town centre and discover a museum with outstanding collections, exciting exhibitions, and lots of free family activities!

“We were also extremely proud that Worsbrough Mill was shortlisted for Best Accessible Museum. This fantastic news follows recent success, as Cooper Gallery was awarded the Sandford Award for Heritage Learning, the fourth Barnsley Museums site to currently hold the award. All our Barnsley Museums sites are special places that provide lasting memories, lifelong learning, and a fantastic day out for all.”

Alison Bowyer, Executive Director of Kids in Museums, said:

“Huge congratulations to Experience Barnsley and the whole team at Barnsley Museums. Collections and stories from the community are at the heart of Experience Barnsley. This is evident across the venue; from the initial inspiration for a museum designed with local people, for local people, to the recent Stories of Childhood exhibition, which featured objects curated by local school children. 

"Experience Barnsley is free to visit and because of their friendly staff, excellent facilities and 
wide-ranging programme of activities, visitors return again and again. As families try to balance tight budgets and find low cost ways to enjoy a special day out, Experience Barnsley is an ideal place to have fun and make memories.” 

The Family Friendly Museum Award has been made possible by funding from Arts Council 
England. Follow the Family Friendly Museum Award on social media by following the hashtag #FamilyFriendlyMuseum.