The Museums + Heritage Awards took place with a live ceremony in London last night (Wednesday 11 May).

Heritage Fund Chief Executive, Eilish McGuinness, announced Reimagining Reality, created by Discovering42, as the winner of the Sustainable Project of the Year award. 

She said: "It has never been more important for us all to think and act sustainably, for the planet, for heritage and for people.

"Discovering42's project creatively reimagined everyday items – from old doors and washing machine motors – to inform and empower visitors about the problems of waste and how it contributes to climate change."

2022 marks the third year the Heritage Fund has supported the Sustainable Project of the Year category. The award celebrates an outstanding environmentally sustainable project or exhibition staged by a heritage or cultural organisation in the UK.

Sustainable Project of the Year winner

Events company Discovering42's immersive science exhibition, Reimagining Reality, in based in Bodmin, Cornwall. It uses interactive artworks created from unwanted materials to inspire interest in science and sustainability, and to raise the issue of how waste contributes to climate change.

It’s been an amazing journey of learning and experimentation.

Discovering42, creators of Reimagining Reality

In their acceptance speech, a spokesperson from Discovering42 said: “We only opened in October, so we weren’t expecting to be here. We are just really impressed that we’ve had people that believe in us. It was a completely crazy idea. But we were lucky to get crowd funded and then Arts Council funding as well. It’s been an amazing journey of learning and experimentation, and we’re looking forward to going forward with that.”

Focusing on sustainability

Reimagining Reality features 20 exhibits produced by local artists using waste materials such as old doors and bodyboards. The exhibits include a bike-powered record player that uses an old washing machine motor and a rainforest mirror room made from donated mirrors.

The Heritage Fund was particularly impressed by how sustainability was the focal point of every stage of the project.

Drew Bennellick, Heritage Fund Head of Land and Nature Policy

Drew Bennellick, Head of Land and Nature Policy at the Heritage Fund, said: “We’re glad to see Reimagining Reality announced as the winner. The Heritage Fund was particularly impressed by how sustainability was the focal point of every stage of the project, from sourcing otherwise unwanted waste materials and using electric vehicles to transport them, to sparking the imagination of visitors to start conversations on climate issues."

Wright & Wright Architects were also highly commended in the Sustainable Project of the Year category for their work at Museum of the Home.

Museums + Heritage Awards

Last year’s winner of the Sustainable Project of the Year category was Penzance's Jubilee Pool, while in 2020, it was the Museum of Oxford’s Queering Spires: a history of LGBTIQA+ spaces exhibition that scooped the award.

The annual Museums+ Heritage Awards recognise the very best in museums, galleries, cultural and heritage visitor attractions. Read more about the rest of 2022's winners on the Museums + Heritage website.

Find out more

Discover more environmentally sustainable projects we’ve funded and find out how we’re tackling climate change.