Three triumph in AHI interpretative awards

The Association for Heritage Interpretation has announced the winners of its 2007 Interpret Britain and Ireland awards.

Irish-based design consultancy Martello Media and the Cliffs of Moher visitor experience in Ireland (pictured) won an award for the fifth year running for the design of the Atlantic Edge exhibition at the centre. The judges said the exhibition ‘succeeded magnificently in offering world-class interpretation that cleverly draws visitors to explore and discover the many well-presented displays’.

Other winners include the Foynes Flying Boat Museum – also in Ireland – and its designer Jack Harrison, and the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, along with London-based consultancy Event Media for the Kelvingrove New Century Project in Glasgow.

Commendations were earned by the Bath Postal Museum and design consultancy Imagemakers for an interactive exhibit, English Heritage and Portland Design for new displays at Battle Abbey in East Sussex, the Peak District National Park Authority for its in-house Paws on the Moors initiative, Chertsey Museum and designer Michael Cashman for the Runnymede Room and Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council for its in-house work for Staircase House.

Now in their 23rd year, the awards recognise the best examples of interpretative design and are supported by English Heritage, the Countryside Council for Wales, and Scottish Natural Heritage.

The AHI is a membership organisation for people working in the heritage field. It is trying to encourage more designers to submit projects, rather than relying on clients to do so.

A spokeswoman for the awards says the AHI received fewer entries than usual and that only three entries were good enough to win an award. Last year, the number was six. ‘I think this is a blip rather than a downward trend at the moment,’ she adds.