LONDON.- Museums and galleries long-listed for the Art Fund Prize will be hosting special events over Love Your Museum Weekend, which takes on Saturday 10 - Sunday 11 April.

Helping Henry VIII with his wedding preparations, Raku firing and playing virological cluedo are just some of the activities and events planned for Love Your Museum Weekend 2010 The weekend will be hosted by institutions nominated for this year’s Art Fund Prize for museums and galleries, an award for excellence and innovation in UK museums. On Saturday 10 April at 11.30am, for the very first time, six of the long-listed institutions will embark on a national simultaneous ‘I love my museum’ cheer. Blists Hill Victorian Town, Great North Museum: Hancock, Hampton Court Palace, The Leach Pottery, Towner and Ulster Museum will all be encouraging members of the public to take part and show their support by shouting the loudest in favour of their museum’s bid for the £100,000 prize. Throughout the weekend, events will take place at the following Art Fund Prize long-listed institutions:

• The Ashmolean Museum, Oxford
• Blists Hill Victorian Town, Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust
• Great North Museum: Hancock, Newcastle
• Hampton Court Palace, Surrey, for Henry VIII: heads and hearts
• The Leach Pottery, St Ives
• The National Army Museum, London, for Conflicts of Interest
• The Natural History Museum, London, for the Darwin Centre
• The Royal Institution of Great Britain, for Science in the Making
• Towner, Eastbourne
• The Ulster Museum, Belfast

The 2010 Art Fund Prize judging panel comprises:

• Kirsty Young (Chairman), broadcaster
• Kathy Gee, museums and heritage adviser
• Professor A C Grayling, Professor of Philosophy, Birkbeck College, London
• Professor J Steve Jones, Professor of Genetics, University College London
• Sally Osman, communications consultant and former Director of Communications, BBC
• Lars Tharp, Director, The Foundling Museum and BBC Antiques Roadshow expert
• Jonathan Yeo, artist

From now until the winner announcement on 30 June, you can vote for your favourite long-listed institution and leave comments for the Judges on the Art Fund Prize website telling the Judges why they should win. You can also enter to win an exclusive competition to win a limited edition Jonathan Yeo print. Visit www.artfundprize.org.uk

Sky Arts returns as Media Partner for this year’s Art Fund Prize with a series of behind-the-scenes documentaries. The series of 30 minute programmes will follow the panel of judges as they visit the eleven venues all vying for the prestigious £100,000 prize, and will be aired on Sky Arts 2 HD throughout May and June. For more information go to: www.skyarts.co.uk/artfundprize