BARNSLEY Town Hall’s museum has been shortlisted for one of the biggest industry prizes in the world thanks to staff members’ work during the pandemic.

Experience Barnsley is one of five museums in the running for the Art Fund Museum of the Year 2021 award.

During the pandemic the museum offered digital games, tours and concerts, as well as distributing thousands of care packs to the most vulnerable in the borough.

The winner will be announced at a ceremony in September and will receive £100,000, while the other shortlisted museums will each receive £15,000 in recognition of their achievements.

Lynn Dunning, head of Barnsley Museums, said: “It’s a huge honour to be included in the top five.

“To sit alongside brilliant organisations, who over the last 12 months have done such incredible things, really is a dream come true.

“Our digital, outreach and community work during the pandemic was really important to us.

“To keep connected with them and support them in times of crisis was critical, so for our creativity and hard work to be recognised in this way means a lot to the whole of the team.”