The winners of this year's Museums + Heritage Awards have been revealed, with the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War receiving a Judges’ Special Recognition Award for "documenting history in real-time".

Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the Museum has collected more than 7,000 war artifacts, which have become the basis for exhibitions in Ukraine and abroad.

With the help of authentic materials and photos, the museum is charting the ongoing war as it happens.

The museum’s director Dr Yurii Savchuk, who attended the ceremony and collected the award said: "In May last year, we launched a new exhibition in Kyiv titled 'Ukraine – Crucifixion'.

"This is the world’s first artifact-based museum exhibition on the full-scale war. In total, since the invasion began, we have organised 25 exhibitions featuring original artifacts and photos, in 14 countries around the world.

"This is our way to convey the reality of war to the world.”

The Museums + Heritage Awards celebrate the very best in the world of museums, galleries, and cultural and heritage visitor attractions.

Among this year's winners were the National Trust for The Children’s Country House at Sudbury, which was given the Permanent Exhibition of the Year award.

The Awards are open to all museums, galleries, archives, and cultural and heritage organisations, both digital and in-person.

Entrants are from all areas of the cultural sector; from organisations that connect objects, stories and spaces with audiences and people, as well as the individuals, companies and organisations which support their work.

The full list of winners for 2023:

Innovation of the Year

Oxygen-free conservation showcases (Meyvaert Kaap Skil)

Best use of digital – UK StoryTrails (StoryFutures, Royal Holloway)

Best use of digital – International

Studio Louter and Kiss the Frog Film Catcher (Eye Filmmuseum, Amsterdam)

Volunteer of the Year - in partnership with the Association of Independent Museums

David Jutson (Tullie House Museum & Art Gallery, Carlisle)

Volunteers of the Year - in partnership with the Association of Independent Museums Leeds Museums & Galleries’ Preservative Party (Leeds City Museum)

Team of the Year

Housekeeping Team (National Museums Liverpool)

Café or Restaurant of the Year The Folly Coffee House: A Year in the Life (Museum of North Craven Life, Settle)

Community Engagement Programme of the Year

Cartoon Museum Autism Programme (The Cartoon Museum)

Sector Support Award Kids in Museums

International Exhibition of the Year

Winner: FLUGT - Refugee Museum of Denmark (Vardemuseerne)

Learning Programme of the Year Learning without Borders - a collaboration between Brooklands Museum and Bourne Education Trust

Marketing + Communications Campaign of the Year

Winner: Christmas at Castle Howard (Castle Howard Estate Ltd)

Partnership of the Year Winner: Joy at the Jobcentre (Colchester + Ipswich Museums)

Visitor Welcome Award

Winner: Welcome to the Scottish Crannog Centre! (The Scottish Crannog Centre, Perthshire)

Restoration or Conservation Project of the Year Winner: Cleveland Pools Restoration (Cleveland Pools Trust, Bath)

Sustainable Project of the Year

Joint Winner: Hedgerow (Food Museum, Stowmarket) Joint Winner: Trust Voyage to Carbon Neutral (SS Great Britain)

Shop of the Year

Winner: Bletchley Park Shop (Bletchley Park)

Temporary or Touring exhibition of the year Joint Winner: Rebuilding Lives: 50 Years of Ugandan Asians in Leicester (Navrang Arts)

Joint Winner: The future belongs to what was as much as what is (English Heritage)

Permanent Exhibition of the YearWinner: The Children's Country House at Sudbury (National Trust)