Bridport Museum notched up a prize-winning double after scooping national and regional accolades.

The museum service was awarded full accreditation status as well as winning a top arts award.

It means it will now have a better chance of borrowing some of the nation’s most treasured artefacts and housing a major new artwork.

The dual awards mark the end of a hugely successful 2009 for the venue – which stopped charging for the first time in its 37 year history.

The museum was granted accreditation by the government funded Museums, Libraries and Archive Council, which oversees the nation’s collections.

The MLA examines management standards, services for visitors and ensures the museum’s collection is cared for properly.

But in a second win the museum also come joint first in the countywide Pride of Place Award.

The museum shared top honours with environmental group Discover West Bay, which highlights the importance of the marine environment and bird migration.

The victory offers the chance for them to commission an artist to develop a project celebrating Dorset's local environment and heritage.

Bridport Museum curator Alice Martin said: “It’s been a great year for the museum and winning both of these awards promises to make 2010 even better. One of the biggest advantages of being accredited with the MLA is that it will make it much easier to borrow from national museums. At the moment we are in the process of arranging some loans from the Natural History Museum for next year’s displays.

“We attracted the attention of the judges of the Pride of Place Awards because the museum is interested in promoting the historical, cultural and industrial links between Bridport and Newfoundland.

“Not only are both communities are located on or near UNESCO designated natural world heritage sites but many Bridport people emigrated to Newfoundland in the 17th and 18th century and today, there are still enclaves of communities in Newfoundland, where the residents have Dorset accents.

“The appointed artist will be researching these links and forging new ones.

“The ultimate outcome will be some form of interpretation that will highlight and inform about the heritage and wildlife links between Newfoundland and Bridport/West Bay, with migration a core theme.

“This may well be housed in the museum’s courtyard, which is a space that could be developed for exhibition.”

Ms Martin’s views were shared by Dr Tom Brereton, chairman of Discover West Bay.

He said: “We are delighted to be a project partner in this exciting arts initiative and look forward to working with the Bridport Museum and the Dorset Design and Heritage Forum to create something special for West Bay.”

The judging panel for this award was chaired by Maggie Bolt, Director of Public Art South West.