GLASGOW'S religious museum has been recognised with a prestigious UK prize.

St Mungo's Museum of Religious Life and Art in Castle Street, near Glasgow Cathedral, has been given the Shap Award.

It is awarded annually to someone, or some organisation, that has made an outstanding contribution to religious education.

St Mungo's is one of only three museums worldwide dedicated solely to religion.

It explores the significance of belief in people's lives and its education programme aims to promote understanding between people of different faiths and of none.

A Gallery of Religious Life explores the world's six main religions: Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Sikhism.

This year the museum is also hosting anti-sectarian workshops for schools.

The building, which stands on the site of the medieval Bishop's Castle, was opened in April 1993.

The Shap Award has been given since 1969 after a conference on Comparative Religion in Education was held in a hotel in the Cumbrian village of the same name.

Part of the prize is the opportunity to present a seminar about the work on which the award is based.

St Mungo's Museum received the award at a ceremony in Birmingham.

Liz Cameron, chairwoman of Culture and Sport Glasgow, which runs the museum, said: "It's fantastic the great work being done at St Mungo's is being recognised in this way."