BRISTOLl, VA - The Birthplace of Country Music Museum has been recognized with a variety of industry awards and commendations, including the Southeastern Museums Conference 2015 Technology Competition, the British Guild of Travel Writers 2015 Tourism Awards, and the American Alliance of Museums 2015 Museum Publications Design Competition.
In October – along with media partners Hillmann & Carr, Inc. – the museum received the 2015 Media Production: Gold Award for the Greasy Strings Theater, a film experience that explores the musical techniques and skills behind the music from the 1927 Bristol Sessions, and the 2015 Gallery Installations: Silver Award for the Making Music Gallery, an interactive space where visitors can listen to, remix and sing 1927 Bristol Sessions songs. Also in October, the Birthplace of Country Music Museum was Highly Commended in the category of Wider World Tourism Projects in the 2015 Tourism Awards hosted by the British Guild of Travel Writers.
"It is so rewarding to see the museum and tourism industries commending us, and our partners, for the hard work that went into making the museum a truly interactive experience and an international tourist destination," said Dr. Jessica Turner, museum director and head curator.
The museum has also won First Prize in Posters (for institutions with budgets over $750,000) in the American Alliance of Museum's 2015 Museum Publications Design Competition. The winning poster was for the museum's Grand Opening in August 2014. Designed by Hound Dog Press, it combined bold typography with striking graphic design and color to create a piece that works as an effective piece of branding and also a beautiful work of art.
"Receiving first place in an American Alliance of Museums award is quite an honor because this is a national competition, and the judges consist of colleagues at peer museums," said Turner. "Design is such an important element of sharing the museum's mission – be it through our exhibitions, our programs, or our promotional materials – and so it is wonderful to have the Grand Opening poster recognized and celebrated."
For the 2015 Museum Publications Design Competition, the jurors chose the best in graphic design in 12 different categories and from around 400 entries from across the United States and the world. For more than 26 years, the Alliance has recognized and encouraged excellence in the graphic design of museum publications through the Museum Publications Design Competition, the only national, juried competition of its kind. Winners are chosen for their overall design excellence, creativity and ability to express an institution's personality, mission or special features. The panel of judges includes graphic designers, museum professionals and publishers.
