The GeoFort museum about maps and navigation has been named the best museum in the world for children at the annual Children in Museums award ceremony in Graz, Austria. The museum is located on a fortress island about 30 kilometres south of Utrecht.

GeoFort has been able to take a ‘potentially dry topic’ and convert it into something which is direct, sociable and fun, the jury is quoted as saying by news agency ANP. ‘Children are learning while doing things and having fun. It is an inspiring place,’ the jury said.

The prize is awarded each year by the European Museum Academy and Hands On, the international association of children in museums. The Tropenmuseum Junior in Amsterdam took the prize in 2012.

GeoFort is built into one of the forts which form part of the Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie, a defensive structure running through the country and which has been nominated for inclusion on the Unesco world heritage list.