The Boat Hall Re-rig

We’re currently undertaking some work in our Boat Hall to assess and reorientate the hanging boats, perform a number of conservation tasks and give everything a jolly good clean.

Phase One was completed in December 2023 and saw the ground floor of the Museum become a hive of activity. You can view a time lapse of the work that took place, together with some photo highlights, below.

The changes don’t finish here. Phase Two is underway and will be completed by the end of March; the boats on the ground floor will be redisplayed with their stories and information updated, our RNLI Rescue Zone will be refreshed to celebrate the charity’s 200th year of lifesaving, new lighting will be fitted, and six hanging canoes will be installed – more to come on this soon. Once we’re done, the Main Hall will beam.

Thank you to our funder

The Boat Hall Re-rig wouldn’t be possible without the support of the DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund.

FAQs

What areas of the Museum are open?

All areas of the Museum are currently fully open. We may need to temporarily restrict access to some areas during Phase Two – watch this space for updates.

Will I still be able to visit the Pirates exhibition?

The Pirates exhibition will remain fully open.

Are you still running Minnows Tales on a Monday?

Minnows Tales will continue to run throughout the Main Hall Re-rig.

Will the Museum still be accessible to wheelchair users and others with additional access requirements?

All public areas of the Museum will remain fully accessible via a ramp in the Pirates exhibition and the lifts at each end of the building.

The work so far

Below are some photos of the progress so far. Be sure to check back for regular updates.