PRESTON Park Museum in Eaglescliffe and the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art in Gateshead tonight (Tuesday, June 4) missed out on a £100,000 prize.
For the two North-East contenders were among ten finalists in the running for the Art Fund Prize for Museum of the Year 2013.
The title, which carries with it the largest arts prize in the UK, went to the William Morris Gallery in Walthamstow, London, which has undergone a £5m refurbishment.
The £10,000 Clore Award for Learning was given to The Hepworth Wakefield.
The winners were announced by Ian Hislop at an awards ceremony at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.
The Grade II-listed Preston Park Museum re-opened last year after Stockton Borough Council secured funding for a £7m revamp lasting two years.
Set in parkland beside the River Tees, it features a recreated Victorian street with displays brought to life by volunteers.
It also houses various collections including fine art, weaponry, and the area's industrial and social heritage.
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