The Collection, an amalgamation of the City and County Museum and the Usher Gallery, is one of 10 museums in the running for the Gulbenkian Prize.

The £12.5m museum dedicated to Lincolnshire's history could gain £100,000 if it is wins the museums and galleries award.

A shortlist of four museums will be announced in April and the winner will be revealed in May.

The Collection opened in October 2005, after community groups lobbied councillors for a museum to hold the county's collection of two million archaeological objects.

Councillor Edward Poll, portfolio holder for economic development at Lincolnshire County Council, said: "I am absolutely thrilled and delighted that everyone's hard work has been recognised in this way."