Margate’s Crab Museum takes top national award

Winners: Crab Museum trio brothers Ned and Bertie Suesat-Williams, and Chase Coley

The Crab Museum in Margate has clinched a top national award.

The quirky museum in the Old Town came top out of five finalists in the Being Social category of the  Digital Culture Awards presented by Arts Council England’s Digital Culture Network.

The awards recognise the best in digital transformation, digital engagement, and use of technology in creativity and culture across England.

The Crab Museum made the cut for its “unhinged social media.” The shortlist was chosen by expert judge Haydn Corrodus, who is a digital strategist at Warm Street, and the winner was decided by public vote.

Margate’s Crab Museum

The Digital Culture Network said: “Crab Museums’ social presence uses humour and memes about crabs to address complex issues such as environmental degradation, biodiversity loss, and climate change.

“Their tongue-in-cheek approach has increased engagement and offered opportunities for honest discussion on the state of the planet, whilst creating a rare, personal relationship between online followers and the physical museum.

“As a new museum their unique strategy has been crucial for developing their audience, reaching the global crab enthusiast community, and bringing visitors to the physical museum.

“They saw over 26,000 visitors in 2022, are now the highest rating tourist attraction in Margate, and their international renown has seen them invited as keynote speakers to Crabcon 2023. They’ve taken advantage of collaboration opportunities to widen their audience and explored different frameworks for engagement including a successful crowdfunding campaign.

“By recognising the opportunities available to them and carving out a radical and distinctive social media presence, Crab Museum has quickly developed an impressively broad but relevant audience and laid the foundation for their continued existence and success as a space for scientific and interdisciplinary learning.

“They are an exemplar of how to find your niche and leverage it to build a positive and lasting brand.”

The Crab Museum is headed by enthusiasts and brothers Ned and Bertie Suesat-Williams, from Margate, Chase Coley, from Canvey Island, and GRETL – the museums AI guide.

The delighted team said: “We are honoured and frankly quite surprised to have won, as we were up against some pretty big names in the museum and arts sector, not to mention the incredible Vagina Museum.

“Even though Crab Museum is small, the fact that we won the public vote shows that there is space in the conversation for crabs, often when they’re least expected. It shows that there is merit in doing things differently, and sticking to your principles, even if they can be challenging to some people.

Find the Crab Museum at 9 Broad Street Margate

Opening Times:

Saturday: 11am – 5pm

Sunday: 11am – 5pm

Last entry 4.30pm

Or go online at www.crab.mu or find them on facebook here

5 Comments

Comments are closed.