The doors are now locked at Hull Maritime Museum ahead of an exciting £11m transformation.
The major refurbishment will feature stunning new exhibitions and improved access while also revealing more of the building’s original Victorian architecture.
Building work will take about 19 months before new exhibitions are installed and collections returned. It is hoped the museum will re-open in late 2023.
The redesign of the Wharfage room gallery at the Hull Maritime Museum.
The refurb will see about 50,000 objects carefully documented and placed into secure storage at a secret location. This mammoth task is expected to take around a year before the major works begin in March 2021.
The revamped museum is expected to attract 250,000 visits a year – almost doubling current numbers – when it reopens in late 2023.
Heritage assistant Julie Duke, who has worked at the museum for 16 years, locked the doors for the final time this week ahead of the work.
“Today has been a special but sad day for me,” said Julie. “I have seen many people come through the doors, explore the building and enjoy their visit but this refurbishment is very much needed for its future. I am looking forward to the museum’s next chapter.”
Heritage Assistant Julie Duke, who has worked at the museum for 16 years, locked the doors of the Hull Maritime Museum today as it closes to undergo the biggest refurbishment in the buildings history.Read full story here ➡️ https://t.co/YDhRLbpLYS pic.twitter.com/q4o8qKWLNb— Hull: Yorkshire’s Maritime City (@HullMaritime) January 19, 2020
Councillor Daren Hale, portfolio holder for economic investment, regeneration, planning, land and property, said: “This may seem like the end of an era – people in the city having grown up with the displays and we are appreciate what the museum, its atmosphere and collections mean to them, but this is a temporary farewell and the beginning of something really special.”
The redevelopment of the museum is being funded by Hull City Council, the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund as part of the Hull: Yorkshire’s Maritime City project.
Learn more at maritimehull.co.uk or follow @Hullmaritime on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
