Congratulations, 2020 OMA Award Winners!

The Ohio Museums Association has announced the winners of the 2020 OMA Awards of Achievement and 2020 Visual Communication Awards. These winners were recognized during the Annual OMA Awards Program Ceremony, which took place Sunday, April 11 at 7 p.m., as the kick-off event for the 2021 Ohio Museums Association Virtual Conference.

The OMA Awards program is an annual celebration of the outstanding achievement of Ohio museums in visual communications, individual and institutional achievement, and the tireless work museum professionals undertake to help advance Ohio’s museum community both locally, and on a national level.

The Awards of Achievement are divided into two categories: Institutional Achievement Awards and Individual Achievement Awards.

Nominations for these awards are incredibly detailed. This in-depth process helps to illustrate how these institutions and individuals have gone “above and beyond” the normal call of duty to support their institution, serve their public and advance the cause of the museum community. 

The 2020 Award of Achievement winners are:

Best Exhibition (Under $500,000)

Bradford Ohio Railroad Museum—“BF Interlocking Tower Exhibit”

Best Exhibition (Over $500,000)

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame—“It’s Been Said All Along: Voices of Rage, Hope & Empowerment”

Best Exhibition Catalog (Over $500,000)

Columbus Museum of Art— “Raggin’ On: The Art of Aminah Brenda Lynn Robinson’s House and Journals”

Best Community Partnership (Over $500,000)

COSI – Center of Science and Industry—“COSI 2020 Learning Lunchbox Distance Learning Initiative”

Best Education and Outreach (Under $500,000)

Trumbull County Historical Society—“Voices Oral History Project”

Emerging Professional of the Year

Hadley Drodge—National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center

Betty Bryan Volunteer of the Year

Jeanne Griffin—Cleo Redd Fisher Museum/Mohican Historical Society

Museum Advocate

Stephen White—COSI

Professional of the Year

Michael D. Aaron—Rickenbacker Woods Foundation – National Landmark & Learning Center

The OMA Visual Communication awards recognize creative excellence in printed and digital materials produced and distributed by Ohio museums. This year’s awards are based on materials produced or distributed during the 2020 calendar year. 

The 2020 Visual Communication winners are:

Budget Level 1

• Gold Award: Vermilion History Museum – “The Making of a Museum”

Budget Level 2

• Gold Award: Wood County Museum – “Utopia: A Visual Storytelling of Our Home”
•  Silver Award: EclipseCorp – “Harding Presidential Museum”
• Honorable Mention: Shelby County Historical Society - "The Churches of Shelby County: Past and Present"

Budget Level 3

• Gold Award: Canton Museum of Art - “Dancing in the Light: Masterwork from the Age of American Impressionism”
• Silver Award:  University of Akron Archival Services - “The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company: A Photographic History, 1898-1951"

Budget Level 4

• Gold Award: American Sign Museum - "A Campaign for the American Sign Museum"

Budget Level 5

• Gold Award: Gund Gallery at Kenyon College - “Near + Far Activation Guides”
• Silver Award:  Akron Art Museum - “Love Art Safely”
• Honorable Mention: Dayton Art Institute - “New Dayton Art Institute Website”

Budget Level 6

• Gold Award: Wexner Center for the Arts at The Ohio State University - “Pages 2019-2020 Anthology: An Arts, Literacy, and Writing Program for High School Students”
• Silver Award: Toledo Museum of Art - “Judith Schaechter Exhibition Interview Video”

BEST IN SHOW:

Gund Gallery at Kenyon College - “Near + Far Activation Guides”

Do you have a amazing visual communications pieces at your museum? Is the new program/exhibit/partnership you launched this year a big hit? Have a colleague that goes above and beyond to make Ohio museums better? Don't miss your chance to be recognized!

Learn more about the 2021 OMA Annual Awards Program and get full nomination details on the Awards page.

Congratulations again to all of the 2020 OMA Award winners. We look forward to recognizing your museum at next year's Awards Ceremony as part of the 2022 OMA Annual Conference, April 2-4 in Cincinnati!