Leicester’s King Richard lll Visitor Centre has scooped the prestigious accolade of Museum of the Year - in the national Group Leisure and Travel Awards.
The annual awards aim to shine a spotlight on the best destinations, attractions and people in the leisure and travel industry. Winners were announced at a ceremony in Milton Keynes on Wednesday (5 October).
The multi-award-winning visitor centre fought off stiff competition for the winner’s trophy, with other finalists including the Science Museum London, Bletchley Park, and World of James Herriot in Yorkshire.
Leicester’s City Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said: “This is great news for Leicester, and well deserved. It will be 10 years this December since we purchased the former grammar school building, with the aim of transforming it into a world-class visitor centre, and this latest award helps to confirm we have achieved that.”
Phil Hackett, general manager of the visitor centre, added: “It’s fantastic for us and for Leicester to be named Museum of the Year, especially amongst such an awe-inspiring group of attractions.
“We continue to welcome people from all over the UK and indeed from across the world to the centre, and we look forward to welcoming many more thanks to this award.”
The King Richard lll Visitor Centre has also been shortlisted in the Best Place to Visit category at the Leicestershire Promotions Tourism & Hospitality Awards. Winners will be announced in November.
The centre is currently marking the tenth anniversary of the discovery of King Richard lll, whose remains were found in a city council car park in September 2012. Find out more about the remarkable search for the lost King, and how to visit the centre on its website.