Hull Maritime volunteer, Julie Corbett shares her experience of visiting the Maritime Museum.
I was delighted to be invited along with other HEY and Maritime volunteers to see inside the maritime museum. The visit was possible because the project is between phases.
The structural transformation work on the building is almost complete. The next period is mainly fixing and fitting the interior of the building.
The thousands of artefacts will also be returning. A complex process taking a few months, not unlike moving into a new home, but with much better labelled boxes and bespoke shelving at the ready.
The foyer and main staircase are crisp and bright. On the ground floor are a kitchen, cafe and seating areas. Always an impressive building, it is now brighter and airier. The redesign with its influx of natural light, and the level access across and between floors seem like new prize acquisitions for the museum.
The main entrance now has an access ramp and on the below ground level (an area which also has new education rooms and additional special storage) is a comprehensively equipped Changing Places. You can find more about these facilities and where they are on this website here.
The museum will be housing more of the artefacts and stories of Hull’s local and global maritime connections and influence. Looking outwards across the globe, but also Hull’s communities in and around the docks and inland waterways.
As we walked round, we were given some idea of the themes intended for the spaces and where favourite objects might return to. The Court Room looked magnificent with the windows on both sides of the room uncovered.
So much information was shared that I struggled to capture it all. One feature of the museum experience will be quieter areas, especially the area where the St. Andrew’s Memorial Books with be rehoused. (They are in the History Centre, more details here).
When people who are familiar return to visit the maritime museum, the central atrium may disorient at first. All the ‘Bolt Ons' from previous decades in the buildings use have been stripped from the central courtyard.
It has a roof. A light well, and walkways connecting all sides of the building. I thought it was breath taking. This addition has facilitated the uncovering of some internal windows. And you will be able to work your way around the building with more ease.
New areas are now to be open as galleries, exhibition spaces and event areas. I particularly enjoyed seeing out of the round windows.
The newly realised physical connectiveness within the building and its place in Hull’s maritime history was the story told as we were led around. Both looking in and looking outwards from the building you can see traces of the past.
Looking out at the Alan Boyson 1963 mosaic, ‘The Three Ships’ on the post-war BHS/Co-op building and then towards the Siemen’s Facility and the wind turbine tower parts I was struck that the maritime museum will be an evolving, living museum reflecting the past but also looking towers Hull’s maritime futures.
It was a lovely visit. Many thanks to Tom Goulder, HEY Volunteering and our guides on the day.
