The Wedgwood Museum ‘bowled over’ judges with its impeccable collections of British pottery and ceramics, some of which date as far back as the mid-point of the 17th century.

Opened in Stoke-on-Trent last year, the museum contains displays of manuscripts, factory equipment and original designs, all serving to complement the ceramics in telling the history of one of Britain’s most famous design institutions.

It also received the People’s Choice vote in the first year that the public was given a say on the UK’s largest museum prize – some 27,000 people cast their votes online via The Guardian’s website.

Announcing the winner in London, filmmaker and judge David Puttnam said that the Wedgwood Museum ‘brilliantly highlights the marriage of art, design, manufacturing and commerce’.

‘In every respect it fully meets our criteria of what a 21st century museum should aspire to be.’

This year marks the 250th anniversary since Josiah Wedgwood established his own pottery business, but celebrations have been somewhat muted.

Difficult trading conditions saw the much-loved company sink into administration in January, before being bailed out by a US firm in March.

As a manufacturer, Wedgwood has come close to the brink. As a museum less than a year old, however, one of the world’s most famous pottery brands is soaring, after winning the UK’s most financially lucrative arts prize.

The Wedgwood Museum in Barlaston, Staffordshire, has been awarded the £100,000 Art Fund prize for museums and galleries at a ceremony in central London this evening. The result is even more impressive because the building, which tells Wedgwood’s story via original ceramics, manuscripts, factory equipment and models, only opened last October, after nine years of planning and fundraising.

The judges, chaired by the film producer peer David Puttnam, were unanimous, collectively declaring themselves “bowled over” by their visit to the potteries. Puttnam said the judging meeting had been a happy one. “I went round the table once and it became absolutely clear who was going to win, so we then just concentrated on the whys.”

The Wedgwood Museum was extraordinary, he said. “The museum is an apotheosis of commerce, design, manufacturing, creativity. If you want an object lesson in the triumph and tragedy of British manufacturing, it is a brilliant snapshot of what has gone right and what has gone wrong.”

The £10m museum opened last year, cleverly built on the site of the art-deco Wedgwood factory, which opened in 1940 and is still producing pottery – just. The company has had a torrid year, with Waterford Wedgwood placed in administration in January, before being rescued by a US-based private equity company in March. The promise has been new investment and continued production, albeit aimed at high-end foreign markets.

This should have been a celebratory year for Wedgwood – it’s the 250th anniversary of founder Josiah Wedgwood starting his pottery business in nearby Burslem.