When it comes to the matter of museum organization in Europe, nothing comes close to being the best than the European Museum Forum (EMF). The EMF is a nonprofit organization registered in the United Kingdom whose sole focus is to improve public quality standards of museums across European country. The Forum acts directly under the Council of Europe and all museums in all 47 members of the Council are organized and overseen by the Forum. Among its activities, EMF’s major event is the Award Ceremony held annually in May. Awards and prizes go to museums that meet the standards.
The European Museum of the Year Award (EMYA) is a prestigious ceremony within the scope of European museum sector, the event of which is part of a three-day conference. This annual conference has a specific set of objectives. It sets itself as a medium that supports the promotion of high quality standards in the museum field at a European level, which can be used by those working in the field to share information, contacts, knowledge, and experiences with one another. The European Museum Forum also holds international workshops in which museum professionals with similar minds can gather in a setting that is typical of European continent.
The European Museum of the Year is only one of several awards handed out by the EMF every year. There is also the Council of Europe Museum Prize that is presented by the Council’s Committee on Culture, Science, Education, and Media of the Parliamentary Assembly. The winner of the Prize is selected from three candidates provided by the Judging Panel of the EMYA. The Prize goes to the museums that actively seek to support human rights and democracy and promote the bridging of different cultures. The Prize recognizes museums that show excellence in approaching museum work.