The Hunt Museum in Limerick has won the 2003 Museum of the Year award.
The announcement was made today by President McAleese at a ceremony in the House of Lords at College Green in Dublin.
The Hunt Museum received its award for its consistent good practice including its ongoing inventive education programme, its quality exhibitions and the maintenance of its historic collection and building.
The museum houses one of the worlds greatest private collections of ancient and medieval pieces of art and sculpture, which was given to the Irish people in 1997 by the Hunt family.
The collection is housed in Limerick's refurbished customs house, and is worth an estimated €60m.
The awards are organised jointly every year by the Heritage Council and the Northern Ireland Museums Council.
Four other museums described by the judges as outstanding in their work also received awards: the Down County Museum, the Museum of Country Life in Mayo, Dublinia and the Royal Fusilliers Museum in Armagh
