Sheffield: Emergency Services Museum named UK's most family friendly

As well as winning the overall award, the museum in Sheffield also took home the prize for the Best Small Museum

A museum which faced closure after the Covid lockdowns but was saved by a crowdfunding campaign has been named the UK's best Family Friendly Museum.

The National Emergency Services Museum in Sheffield was praised by judges for "outstanding community work, hands-on galleries and welcoming staff".

It displays many historical vehicles, including a fire pump dating from 1710.

Matt Wakefield, the museum's chief executive, said the award was "an unbelievable achievement".

He added that staff were "delighted, proud, excited and overwhelmed" at the "amazing news".

The final say in the competition goes to families who visited each shortlisted museum over the summer holidays

The annual award is run by the Kids in Museums charity, with public nominations whittled down to a shortlist by an expert panel.

Families, described as "secret judges", then visit each shortlisted museum to decide the winner.

One secret judge said of the National Emergency Services Museum: "There was something for all our kids to experience: from dressing-up, to solving an investigation, to ringing their fire bell."

Another said: "I was quite shocked at how much was free to touch and get hands-on with."

The museum's CEO said the fact that nominations came from visitors made the win "even sweeter"

Judges said they were impressed with the way the museum encouraged young people to learn through play, with fire engine rides, driving simulators, dressing-up and climb-on vehicles.

Galleries also cover topics from the Great Fire of London to modern fire safety and staying safe in the water.

The self-funded museum and charity, which is mostly run by volunteers, opened in the 1980s and is housed in a former joint-fire, police and ambulance station.

Philip Mould, president of Kids in Museums, said for it to win the award on 999 Day "proved the love and respect children and families have for emergency services staff"

Helen Shepherd, from the museum, said there had been fears it would not be able to open again after the Covid pandemic lockdowns.

It had only survived thanks to a successful crowdfunding campaign, she said.

"One six-year-old boy sent us a letter with his pocket money inside it. He wrote, 'here's my pocket money because it would be so sad if you had to close'."

Ms Shepherd added that the win "hasn't even sunk in yet."

The museum in Sheffield tells the story of the emergency services and shares lifesaving lessons

The museum's win coincided with this year's national 999 Day, celebrating the work of the emergency services.

At a ceremony in London on Wednesday, the museum also won the Best Small Museum category.