2025 Sandford Award Winners: Celebrating the stories that shape us

We are delighted to announce 19 winners for this year’s Sandford Award, including a dynamic mix of museums, historic landmarks and an archaeological park, that are all reshaping how we connect with the past.

As the UK and Ireland’s top accolade for heritage learning, the Sandford Award is delivered by Lincoln Bishop University in partnership with the Heritage Education Trust and supported by Historic Royal Palaces. 

The Award recognises and celebrates organisations that engage and inspire learners through creative and inclusive programmes, and this year’s award ceremony will be held at St Paul’s Cathedral on Thursday 20^th November at 2pm. 

A medieval hall, a 21st-century archive, and one of Britain’s most iconic bridges are among the extraordinary heritage sites honoured in this year’s 2025 awards, alongside the local and prestigious Lincoln Cathedral.

A list of all winners can be found here.

Professor Andrew Gower speaking on behalf of Lincoln Bishop University, said: “As a university committed to heritage education, lifelong learning and the positive difference education makes in the lives of individuals and communities, we greatly value our longstanding partnership with the Heritage Education Trust. 

“Lincoln Bishop University is delighted to celebrate the success of the organisations receiving a Sandford Award this year. Winning the Award is a widely recognised mark of success for high-quality heritage learning in action. Many congratulations to the 2025 winners of a Sandford Award.”

The Sandford Award has been providing independent recognition for high quality in heritage learning since 1978, celebrating programmes that go beyond the expected to create transformative learning experiences.

From creating prehistoric clay pots to journeying through the history of bread, this year’s winners are helping to redefine what formal and informal heritage education can be.

Dr Tracy Borman, OBE, speaking on behalf of the Heritage Educational Trust, said: “This year's award winners represent a rich and diverse range of heritage sites, from archaeology parks to aviation centres, iconic buildings such as Lincoln Cathedral and Kensington Palace to the treasure trove of history that is The National Archives. 

“Every single recipient deserves the recognition and profile that securing the prestigious Sandford Award brings and I would like to offer them all my heartfelt congratulations.”

The Sandford Award are always looking for bold and brilliant heritage learning programmes which bring history to life. If your site delivers exceptional learning experiences, we want to hear from you. 

Applications for 2026 open on Monday 1^st December 2025. Please contact Jayne Ellis, Sandford Award Administrator, to register your interest: Jayne.ellis@lincolnbishop.ac.uk