A HELENSBURGH museum has been shortlisted for a prestigious national innovation award.

The recently opened Scottish Submarine Centre on West King Street is among the contenders to receive the Innovation of the Year award at the 2019 UK National Award for Museums and Heritage ceremony.

The centre uses state of the art immersive projection and sound in its inaugural presentation of the X51 Stickleback - a 1952 midget Royal Navy submarine.

READ MORE: Long wait almost over as Helensburgh submarine centre prepares to open.

The use of video mapping technology and the centre’s complex projection system shows a full-scale digitalised version of the inside of the submarine on the outside of the hull, making it possible to see how the submarine works.

The exhibition highlights the role of high-end projection for shared virtual reality (VR) experiences and demonstrates a new way to show how heritage objects work.

Run by volunteers and built on a limited budget compared to the other shortlisted candidates, the centre leaves visitors surprised and delighted with its use of technology to curate the submarine in this new and exciting way.

It has been shortlisted alongside some of the country’s biggest museums and cultural innovators for the award.

The other five shortlisted projects include ’Hold the World’ by The Natural History Museum in partnership with Sir David Attenborough, ‘Space Lives’ by Royal Museums Greenwich, ‘China First Emperor and the Terracotta Warriors’ from National Museums Liverpool, ‘ExplorAR’ from Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum of Wales, and 14-18 Now for ‘They Shall Not Grow Old’.

READ MORE: Helensburgh submarine centre up for top technology award.

Brian Keating, the project’s founder and trustee said: “Being on the same shortlist with nominees who are all nationally funded museums and organisations is a great honour and testament to the ingenuity, tenacity and hard work that went into Scotland’s newest attraction.

“Knowing we are on the same shortlist as projects whose creative talents include the likes of Sir David Attenborough and Peter Jackson is food for thought and very humbling.”

He added “That an attraction in a small town such as Helensburgh is able to compete for the National Innovation Award with the biggest museums in the United Kingdom, highlights that innovation can come from anywhere.”

The Scottish Submarine Centre is owned and operated by The Scottish Submarine Trust, a charity managed by volunteers. The centre is open six days a week from March 26, 2019, from 10am to 4pm, and closed on Mondays.

The Museum and Heritage Awards, now in their 17th year, continue to generate public recognition for the winners and shortlisted projects.

They recognise the innovators and leaders of the UK and international museums, galleries and heritage visitor attractions and there are 14 awards up for grabs this year.

The 2019 Awards saw hundreds of entries and the judging panel is made up of five sector leaders.