The scheme aims to recognise creativity and innovation in events organised by museums and galleries during MGM and winners were drawn from a wide range of submissions. All were inspired by the theme of ideas and innovation as well as a series of late night openings for MGM’s Night at the Museum initiative in the middle of May.

Subjects and approaches varied from tea tastings to creating artistic bird boxes - each illustrating how the UK’s museums and galleries embrace MGM with ingenuity and flair.

“I think people this year have taken a real imaginative leap to deliver something really different,” said Ylva French of the Campaign for Museums. “The level of planning was also very impressive; the event at the Sainsbury Centre for example was actually part of a whole series of events across the east of England and they started planning this back in November 2007.”

At the Sainsbury Centre, staff worked hard to combine the Ideas and Innovation theme of MGM 2008 and added a Chinese dimension. Their evening event included traditional Chinese lion dancing from the Hung Sing Martial Arts School, art workshops and story telling.

The emphasis was very much on art and crafts with local artists taking part in the event and presenting work inspired by Chinese culture and exploring its influences on the western world.

Despite being closed for a major refurbishment, staff at Keats House in Hampstead joined forces with their parent organisation the City of London’s Metropolitan Archives and the London Borough of Islington to give local families the opportunity to learn more about museums, curating, conservation, objects and collections.

At Weston Park, Sheffield, over 2,000 people enjoyed the launch day of the museum's Space Age exhibition - with the help of Darth Vader and other Star Wars characters who dramatically opened the exhibition to the accompaniment of the Star Wars theme.

Parents and their children were encouraged to take part in a family trail and there was a buzz of excitement running throughout the whole day as visitors made alien masks, constructed planets and created rockets and spaceships.

This year, for the first time, MGM also added an arts programmer and organiser who helped museums and galleries to explore ways of working with artists. Many museums responded positively with a slew of art workshops and innovative ideas.

“I think the art programme inspired many museums and galleries to look at new ways in which they could work with artists,” added Ylva, “and some of the runners up were very good and innovative too and it brought many new approaches to attracting new kinds of audiences and exploring new kinds of markets.”

Each of the three MGM Commendation winners will receive £500, sponsored by the MGM Arts Programme, the Campaign for Museums and Aardman, who allowed free screenings of their Wrong Trousers and Shaun the Sheep films during the MGM Museums at night scheme.

The case studies of the winning and shortlisted entries (ten in all) are now on the MGM website to serve as an inspiration to all.