England's first purpose built art gallery, a gallery dedicated to sculptor Barbara Hepworth and a London museum dedicated to music and anthropology are among the finalists for the
Art Fund's 2013 Museum of the Year.
The winner will be announced on 4 June and awarded £100,000. A second prize of £10,000 will recognise achievements in learning programmes for children and youth.
The annual competition was this year open to any accredited museum or gallery, where previously only those with a new project or development from the previous 12 months were eligible.
Art Fund organisers state successful finalists have enthralled visitors with fascinating objects including a Viking ironing board, a live beehive and an Egyptian mummified cat.
This year's panel - including
Daily Telegraph art editor Sarah Crompton, writer and broadcaster Bettany Hughes, historian Tristan Hunt MP and artist Bob and Roberta Smith - will spend April and May visiting each museum to determine the winner.
This year's finalists are:
BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, GatesheadBeaney House of Art and Knowledge, CanterburyDulwich Picture Gallery, LondonThe Hepworth Wakefield, WakefieldHorniman Museum & Gardens, LondonKelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery, GlasgowMuseum and Archaeology & Anthropology, CambridgeNarberth Museum, PembrokeshirePreston Park Museum, Stockton-on-TeesWilliam Morris Gallery, LondonLast year's winner was
Exeter's Royal Albert Memorial Museum for its £24m transformation and in 2011 the British Museum won for its History of the World in 100 Objects exhibition.
