Derby Museums has been shortlisted for two prestigious 2026 Museum + Heritage Awards, recognising its innovative partnerships and retail offer.

Shortlisted for both ‘Partnership of the Year’ and ‘Shop of the Year’, Derby Museums is being recognised on an international stage alongside leading cultural institutions from across the UK and beyond, with entrants from 10 other countries ranging from Malta to Australia and Spain. Now in its 24th year, the awards celebrate excellence across museums, galleries and heritage attractions.

Derby Museums, in partnership with Vaillant, a leading heat pump manufacturer, has been shortlisted for ‘Partnership of the Year’ for its work inspiring future makers and engineers in Derby.

Launched in 2024, the collaboration brings together Derby Museums’ expertise with Vaillant’s training and manufacturing teams to deliver hands-on learning experiences. In 2025, the ‘Launch into Engineering’ programme enabled young people to build practical skills at the Museum of Making and experience a real-world factory setting at Vaillant; seeing how heat pumps & boilers are made, plus the hands-on skills needed in such job roles. One participant said the experience “made me feel more confident than ever in trying something new.”

That same year, 1,500 people attended ‘Assemble: Derby’s Making Festival’, highlighting strong public appetite for creative, hands-on activities. The festival showcases a diverse range of makers and offers an inspiring day out for all ages, as one 7-year-old said: “I was amazed. I didn’t know people could do all those things until today.”

Visitors to the Museum of Making can also explore the co-created Power Pod display, sparking conversations about renewable energy, climate change and personal responsibility.

James Fowler, Marketing & Strategy Director at Vaillant UK, commented:

I’m thrilled that our work with the Museum has contributed to being shortlisted for the Partnership of the Year Award. Watching the Launch into Engineering programme develop and come to life has been an absolute pleasure, especially with the consistently positive feedback we’ve received from participants. What began as a marketing initiative has grown into a dynamic, creative, and truly hands‑on educational experience; one that sparks curiosity, builds confidence, and highlights the real-world possibilities within engineering. Being part of this journey, alongside such dedicated partners and enthusiastic participants, has been incredibly rewarding, and this recognition is a wonderful reflection of the passion and effort shared by everyone involved.”

Jenny Cuadrado, Director of Development at Derby Museums, added:

“Recognition through the Museum and Heritage Awards is not only a great morale booster but also a great testament to the hard work and spirit of innovation at Derby Museums and Vaillant. We’re proud to sit alongside English Heritage, Chatsworth House and the National Theatre in representing the very best in cultural heritage practice.

Our sector is better together, and the partnerships we’ve forged – whether they be with corporate partners like Vaillant, or through stockists in our shops – help to inspire the thinker and maker in all of us. It’s what we do. Thank you to the YMCA, the Bemrose School and Belper School for getting involved with Launch into Engineering, and all the visitors who joined us for a hands-on day of making at Assemble: Derby’s Making Festival!”

Derby Museums has also been shortlisted for ‘Shop of the Year’ for its sustainable retail season at the Museum of Making.

Rooted in Derby’s identity as a city of makers, the Museum of Making sits on the site of the world’s first modern factory, and Derby is now home to major manufacturers Rolls-Royce, Alstom and Toyota. It is this context that drives the Museums’ retail strategy, which celebrates local creativity, with products sourced from makers across Derby and Derbyshire –  from emerging designers to established names such as Denby Pottery. The shops operate as values-led social enterprises, supporting the local maker community while encouraging visitors to have a go at making themselves.

This approach is delivering strong results. Retail spend per visitor has increased by 69% compared to May 2024, bucking the national trend of declining spend. A focus on sustainability – from sourcing within ten miles of Derby where possible, to prioritising responsible materials and production – has proven particularly important to visitors.

Nicola Raybone, Retail Manager at Derby Museums, said:

“We’re delighted to be shortlisted for Shop of the Year – it’s a true reflection of our team’s hard work and dedication. Through challenging times, we’ve listened closely to our visitors and responded to their growing demand for sustainable, locally produced goods. Supporting local makers, artists, and creatives has always been at the heart of what we do, and we’re proud to have built such a strong and inspiring community. This nomination wouldn’t have been possible without them.”

Anna Preedy, Director of Museums + Heritage Awards, commented:

“This year we received a record number of entries to the Awards, which has been fantastic to see. I was particularly struck by how competitive the Community Engagement category has become. Museums and cultural organisations increasingly act as welcoming spaces at the heart of their communities, and it has been inspiring to see how many projects have been developed in genuine collaboration with those communities. Many exhibitions and initiatives have been co-curated, placing community voices front and centre and creating space for stories to be shared in ways that are imaginative, inclusive and far less prescriptive.”

Derby Museums is up against strong competition for the awards, with shortlisted organisations as follows:

Partnership of the Year          

• Derby Museums in partnership with Vaillant UK Inspiring future makers and engineers in Derby
• Scottish Historic Buildings Trust, Bernat Klein Foundation & National Trust for Scotland Bernat Klein Studio Coalition
• Exhibition Road Cultural Group South Ken ZEN+ Programme
• North Yorkshire Council Out of the Box Learning
• English Heritage Taskmaster and English Heritage Team Up

Shop of the Year

• University of Oxford Pitt Rivers Museum Pitt Rivers Museum Shop
• Museum of the Home Museum Shop
• Derby Museums Museum of Making’s sustainable retail season
• Chatsworth House The Orangery Shop
• National Theatre National Theatre Bookshop

The full shortlist can be found here https://awards.museumsandheritage.com/. The ceremony to reveal the winners will take place on the evening of Wednesday 13 May 2026, at Hilton Park Lane, London.

Images: [cover] A young person makes a screwdriver in the Launch into Engineering programme [middle] the Hub Maker Shop at the Museum of Making.