The evaluation committee of the CIMUSET Award 2026 has carefully evaluated applicants for the CIMUSET Award 2026 in accordance with the award criteria.

The following four projects have been shortlisted as nominated projects for the CIMUSET Award 2026.

The winner will be announced during the CIMUSET Conference in Leon, Mexico from 28 September – 2 October 2026.

SESI Lab, Brazil

BioOCAnomia Amazônica by SESI Lab has been shortlisted for the 2026 CIMUSET Award in recognition of its innovative and interdisciplinary approach to science museum practice, bringing together contemporary science, Indigenous knowledge systems, artistic practice, and public participation to explore the future of the Amazon. Through an immersive exhibition, public programmes, workshops, concerts, and collaborative dialogue, the project demonstrates how science museums can become spaces for exchange between different forms of knowledge while addressing some of the most pressing challenges of our time, including climate change, biodiversity loss, public health, and social inequality.

The project stands out for its meaningful collaboration with Indigenous leaders, researchers, artists, public authorities, and local communities, positioning diverse knowledge systems as equally valuable contributors to shaping sustainable futures. By encouraging visitors to imagine alternative relationships between society, technology, and nature, BioOCAnomia Amazônica redefines the museum as an active agent for civic engagement, environmental responsibility, and social justice. Its comprehensive commitment to accessibility – including tactile resources, Braille, multisensory design, and dedicated programmes for neurodivergent visitors – further exemplifies the principles of inclusion and participation embodied in the ICOM museum definition.

The CIMUSET Award Committee commends BioOCAnomia Amazônica as an outstanding example of how science and technology museums can bridge disciplines, cultures, and knowledge systems while inspiring collective action towards more equitable, sustainable, and resilient futures.

Read more about the exhibition here.

MOD., Australia

BEGINNINGS by MOD. has been shortlisted for the 2026 CIMUSET Award in recognition of its original and highly participatory approach to futures thinking in science museum practice. Aimed especially at young people aged 15–25, the exhibition empowers visitors to see themselves as agents in shaping more sustainable, equitable, and desirable futures.

The project stands out for translating complex contemporary research into immersive and interactive experiences that address key issues such as climate change, artificial intelligence, energy transition, health, and social cohesion. Through exhibits such as The Beast, MOD. Crisis Control, The Convenient Store, and Transformative Repair, visitors engage with systems thinking, ethical decision-making, care, maintenance, and collective responsibility.

The CIMUSET Award jury commends BEGINNINGS for its strong commitment to co-design, accessibility, and participation. Developed with young people, researchers, artists, industry partners, accessibility partners, and First Nations collaborators, the exhibition demonstrates how science and technology museums can become spaces for shared exploration, dialogue, and collective imagination about the futures we wish to create.

Read more about the exhibition here.

Lawrence Hall of Science, USA

Future of Food by the Lawrence Hall of Science has been shortlisted for the 2026 CIMUSET Award in recognition of its pioneering community-authored approach to science museum practice. Addressing one of the defining challenges of the twenty-first century, the exhibition reimagines how science museums can engage with food systems by placing community priorities, lived experience, and diverse knowledge systems at the centre of exhibition development.

Developed in collaboration with approximately 230 contributors from 150 organisations – including Indigenous leaders, urban farmers, food justice advocates, youth organisations, scientists, artists, educators, entrepreneurs, and public health experts – the project demonstrates an exemplary model of co-creation. Rather than asking what science should be communicated, the exhibition begins by asking what matters most to communities, creating meaningful dialogue between scientific research, Indigenous stewardship, cultural traditions, and community expertise.

The CIMUSET Award jury commends Future of Food for demonstrating how science and technology museums can become inclusive civic platforms where historically underrepresented voices shape both the development of exhibitions and the futures they seek to inspire. By positioning visitors as participants in creating regenerative, equitable, culturally grounded, and environmentally sustainable food systems, the project offers an outstanding example of collaborative, ethical, and socially responsive museum practice.

Read more about the exhibition here.

BRIMS Heritage Resource Centre, Uganda

BRIMS Heritage Resource Centre has been shortlisted for the 2026 CIMUSET Award in recognition of its innovative approach to preserving and activating science and technology heritage as a driver of education, sustainability, and community engagement. By transforming obsolete technologies and electronic waste into interactive educational resources, the project demonstrates how museums can connect technological heritage with contemporary challenges while inspiring future generations of innovators and responsible users of technology.

The project stands out for combining heritage preservation with environmental responsibility, mobile outreach, and participatory learning. Through exhibitions, storytelling, demonstrations, and school programmes, BRIMS brings science and technology heritage directly to underserved schools and communities while promoting critical thinking about technological change, responsible consumption, electronic waste, and the circular economy. Equally significant is its integration of African experiences, oral histories, and Indigenous perspectives, creating a locally grounded and more inclusive interpretation of the history of science and technology.

The CIMUSET Award jury commends BRIMS Heritage Resource Centre for demonstrating how science and technology museums can extend their impact far beyond their collections, serving as accessible public spaces that promote sustainability, education, inclusion, and community empowerment while encouraging dialogue about the role of technology in shaping more equitable and resilient futures.

Read more about the centre here.