Willem Wolff prize

The Willem Wolff Prize: honouring engineering history

This prize awarded annually from 2011 by the History of Technology Department of the Royal Institute of Engineers (KIVI/GDT), the Foundation for the History of Technology and the Wolff family. The prize consists of a sum of €2,000 and a plaque. The prize serves to support and encourage small museums and local initiatives in the field of engineering history.

Willem Wolff, engineer with a passion for engineering history

The award is named after the mechanical engineer Willem Wolff (1921-2009), who during his lifetime was, among other things, chairman of the board of Akzo Nederland, president of the Royal Institute of Engineers (1984-1989) and co-founder and first chairman of the Foundation for the History of Technology (1988-1994). Under the motto "One must know the past in order to have a view of the future", he has always held engineering history in particular high regard.

Criteria and application procedure Willem Wolff Prize

Eligible for the award are small-scale, high-profile projects and initiatives in the field of engineering history. These must meet at least the following criteria:

• The project or initiative is tangible and/or results in a concrete end product. It could, for instance, be the purchase or restoration of a museum object, the preservation of technical heritage, an exhibition or an educational programme.
• It is a Dutch project or initiative.
• The project or initiative concerns the history of technology.
• The project is financially and practically feasible.
• The Willem Wolff Prize makes a substantial contribution to the project.

Each year in spring, applications are opened for prize candidates. The applications are assessed by a jury with representatives from the History of Technology Department of KIVI, the Foundation for the History of Technology and the Wolff family. This jury selects a winner from the submitted proposals.

Winners Willem Wolff prize