The Visitor Centre team are celebrating with not one but two accolades awarded this week.
Following an assessment carried out by VisitEngland on Monday, the city centre attraction has been recognised for its exceptional customer service and the way the incredible story of King Richard III is told.
As part of the Visitor Attraction Quality Scheme, attractions are independently visited by an experienced quality assessor and the accolades celebrate excellence within the visitor attraction sector, showcasing businesses that ‘go the extra mile to provide a high-quality day out’.
Further good news came on Wednesday when, for the second time since its opening in 2014, the Visitor Centre received a Sandford Award for Heritage Education.
The Sandford Award is an independently judged, quality assured assessment of education programmes at heritage sites across the country which focuses on education opportunities and resources offered to schools both digitally and on site.
Examples of the Visitor Centre’s education programme were submitted, and the panel of judges carried out an online assessment. Judges were looking for an experience developed in consultation with educational professionals, that engages visitors, promotes the understanding of local and national heritage, demonstrates good management of education visits and quality educational resources and services, as well as providing good domestic facilities.
On awarding the Visitor Centre, Lead Judge, Susan Walker, commented: “The King Richard III Visitor Centre continues to deliver excellent, high quality learning experiences to all its young visitors. Discovery packs help children to explore the multi-sensory exhibition while inspirational workshops provide exciting hands-on opportunities to discover and consider the interdependence of history, archaeology and science in the fascinating story of one of history’s controversial kings.”
Iain Gordon, General Manager at the Visitor Centre commented: “We are absolutely delighted to receive two prestigious accolades in one week! We love telling the incredible story of King Richard III at the Visitor Centre every day, with all our visitors, young, old and all ages in between.
“It is especially pleasing to receive these two awards after our prolonged closure and they are well-deserved by the fantastic team we have, who deliver an exceptional experience.”
Leicester City Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said: “These awards are testament to the hard work and creativity of staff at the King Richard III Visitor Centre, who are constantly looking for new ways to provide a high quality, enjoyable experience to visitors of all ages.
“The centre has a unique role in telling the story of King Richard and his place in Leicester’s 2000 year history, and we are very proud of it.”