Winchester Cathedral has won a UK Heritage Award for its Kings and Scribes exhibition, for Most Improved Heritage Development 2020.
The exhibition was commended for its fully accessible three-level exhibition space. The judges said "this has been a long-term project which now allows visitors to explore over 1000 years of English history. The inspiring and educational experience offers visitors the opportunity to learn all about the significance of this historic building within the wider story of English history."
For the Kings and Scribes Exhibition, Metaphor worked closely with Nick Cox Architects to design major new displays and a new lift in the South Transept of Winchester Cathedral. These displays tell the remarkable story of this building, peeling back the layers of history from Anglo-Saxon England through to the present day, and the extraordinary artefacts it houses including, notably, the Winchester Bible.
Using a large variety of interpretative techniques, we have made complex histories and concepts accessible. Select hands-on and digital interactives, clear timelines and well-crafted, content-led graphics allow people of all ages and backgrounds to understand and enjoy the exhibitions. We have integrated these techniques seamlessly into the design language of the space so as to enhance, rather than undermine, the building's innate beauty. Carefully considered sightlines and object placement work to showcase the elegance of artefacts and architecture.
We congratulate Winchester Cathedral on this fantastic and well-deserved award!