From May 21 to 25, 2025, the city of Białystok will become the European capital of museology. This is where the European Museum of the Year 2025 (EMYA) conference and award ceremony will take place.
The conference is organized by the European Museum Forum (EMF) and hosted by the Sybir Memorial Museum, the winner of the 2024 Council of Europe Museum Prize.
The event, whose this year’s motto is ‘Remembrance and Solidarity for Collective Actions’ will bring together the EMYA community, including representatives of institutions, which in the past applied for, been nominated for or been honored with the award, as well as partners and experts from the museum industry.
The conference and award ceremony program will include, among others: presentations of the nominees during panel discussions, keynote speeches, workshops led by previous award winners, guided tours of historical sites and museums, as well as inspiring backstairs conversations.
EMYA2025 is a unique opportunity to exchange experiences and establish contacts with leading museums from Europe, which set new standards and introduce innovative solutions in museums.
This year, 42 institutions from 18 European countries were nominated. The nominees represent the best European museum traditions of change and innovation.
The European Museum of the Year Award has been presented annually since 1977. The winners become symbols of the finest achievements in innovation and excellence among new or revitalized museums, regardless of category, scale, funding, and commitments, as well as across different cultural aspects of Europe.
During the ceremony, the winners in other categories will be announced: the Kenneth Hudson Award for institutional courage and professional integrity, the Silletto Prize for community participation and engagement, the Portimão Museum Prize for hospitality, inclusion, and sense of belonging, and the Meyvaert Museum Prize for environmental sustainability.
For more information on this year’s edition of the conference and the European Museum of the Year 2025 awards ceremony, visit www.emya2025bialystok.com and www.sybir.bialystok.pl.
