National Museum of Contemporary Art wins 2026 European Art Museum Award

The National Museum of Contemporary Art (EMST) in Athens has won the 2026 European Art Museum Award, presented by the European Museum Academy. The award ceremony took place on September 26 in Alicante, Spain.

The distinction recognizes museums that utilize art in innovative ways to address contemporary social issues. The jury highlighted EMST’s vision of art as a fundamental tool for human evolution and its meaningful connection with the public. The award is based on democratic and human values, including social justice, inclusion, gender equality, and sustainability.

EMST was selected from a shortlist of six prestigious European institutions, including the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, the FENIX Museum of Migration in Rotterdam, the National Gallery of Slovenia in Ljubljana, Hastings Contemporary in the United Kingdom, and Museum Gugging in Austria. While EMST took the top prize, the Rijksmuseum received the Outstanding Institution Award for its overall contribution.