This prize has been awarded by the European Museum Forum to the best museum in the continent since 1977. Institutions that have opened for the first time in the last three years or after a comprehensive reconstruction can apply for it. The Oceaneum, which opened in 2008, is located in the Stralsund harbor and, according to the jury, attracts visitors with its unique atmosphere, original interpretation and presentation [of the topic], creative approach to education [problems], and social responsibility.
In 2002, Gunther Benisch won the competition for the design of the museum, but then, when he retired, he handed it over to his son Stefan, who was the author of the detailed project. The facades of the museum are reminiscent of white sails fluttering in the sea breeze and reflect "the harsh nature and fluid movement of the sea." The exhibition inside, including the Greenpeace-sponsored Giants of the Sea exhibition, focuses on both the world's oceans and the Baltic Sea, where the Hanseatic city of Stralsund is located. The museum complex also includes a large aquarium, divided into two zones dedicated to the Baltic and North Seas, respectively.
The building is located next to the former warehouses, in the reconstructed area of the port "Kvartal ‘66", now turned into a district of cultural institutions. One of these warehouses became part of the museum complex: there are administrative premises, an educational center and an assembly hall.
The area around the museum and its foyer offer a panoramic view of the historic city center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In this space, the pavement of different times has been preserved, and round flower beds-benches have been installed.
Prior to the Oceaneum, the title of "European Museum of the Year" was given to the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, the Danish National Museum in Copenhagen, and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
