The Museum of Liverpool has been awarded the European Museum Prize for 2013 by the Council of Europe.

The human rights watchdog said that the museum traced the history of one of the most socially diverse cities in the UK and encourages local community members and faraway visitors alike to live together in dignity by promoting mutual respect between different ethnicities.

The £72m museum, which is part of the National Museums Liverpool and built on a Unesco World Heirtage Site, will receive a bronze statuette by Joan Miro and will be on display for one year.

The Council of Europe Museum Prize has been awarded annually since 1977 to a museum adjudged to have made an outstanding cultural contribution.