Cambridge's very own Polar Museum is among the four remaining contenders in the shortlist for this year's Art Fund Prize for the 'Museum of the Year', it was announced last night.

The Cambridge candidate has already over come tough competition, including the renowned Victoria & Albert Museum.

But this is no home straight – the shortlist still features the eminent British Museum for its project 'A History of the World', The New Robert Burns Birth Place Museum and The Roman Baths Museum project 'Roman Baths Development'.

The Art Fund Prize judges visited the Polar Museum last month to assess its candidacy. Michael Portillo, the chair of this year’s judging panel, told Varsity that the story of Captain Scott relayed in the museum is one “written in the British DNA.”

The Polar Museum are said to be extremely pleased to have been shortlisted for the prize:

“The recognition of all the work that has been put into the redevelopment by the museum’s dedicated staff means a great deal to us,” Heather Lane, Keeper of Collections at the Polar Museum, told Varsity.

“Although we face some formidable competition, not least from the British Museum...we feel that we have been able to show that we meet these standards, even though we are such a small museum.”

Founded in 1934 by Frank Debenham, the Polar Museum is the UK's only museum dedicated to the scientific exploration of the Polar Regions and is in the final stages of a £1.7 million redevelopment.

In the spirit of its celebrated explorers, the Polar Museum has ambitiously taken on the greats in this competition; in a world of cuts, the £100,000 prize will be eagerly sought after by the four remaining candidates.

One of the criteria that the judges take into account is that the winning museum must have “clearly won the support and enthusiasm of its visitors and users.”

Recognising the importance of this, Lane expressed to Varsity that the museum hoped “this announcement will encourage many more students to visit us to explore Britain’s polar heritage.”

Members of the public can vote for their favourite museum on the Art Fund Prize website and the winner will be presented with the prestigious award by Michael Portillo on 15th June at the Tate Britain.