Maritime Museum: 1871 splendour revealed as restoration continues

By Simon Bristow

Visitors to Hull city centre in recent days may have noticed the scaffolding coming down outside the Maritime Museum, slowly revealing the beautifully restored sandstone exterior of the iconic building.

But inside even more marvels await, as delicate restoration work continues – which in places is revealing the splendour of how it looked originally when it opened in 1871.

The focus of attention currently is in the grand, high-ceilinged Court Room. The frieze, column capitals and ornate mouldings surrounding the historic ceiling of the Court Room in the Grade II-listed building are being repaired and cleaned by specialists to bring them back to their original magnificence.

Lincoln Conversation are three weeks into an eight-week programme to clean and remove centuries of dust, dirt, smoke, and debris. They have, so far, revealed a dramatically lighter scheme of beige paintwork with details picked out in gold.

There are maritime motifs throughout the building, including in the form of shells and starfish on the Court Room ceiling, with a number that were missing or broken now restored and repaired.

Repairs to the ceiling are also being undertaken, while the varnished oak flooring has been re-stained and repaired. New windows have been installed while the original windows onto the building’s central lightwell have been opened-up.

Behind the scenes a small lift (dumb waiter) from the new café downstairs will help the building to become an “exciting and unique new space” for functions and temporary exhibitions.

The restoration of the Court Room is part of a wider programme, funded by Hull City Council and The National Lottery Heritage Fund, to transform the former Dock Offices into a 21st century museum.

Councillor Rob Pritchard, portfolio holder for culture and leisure at the city council, said: “As scaffolding continues to be removed following extensive roof repairs and restoration, work to the interior continues.

“The Court Room is a beautiful space, and we know how important this room is to the people and the city. The work being done will reawaken the magic of the building and ensure that one of the best rooms in Hull continues to be here for everyone.”

Extensive work has been completed to the roof with new glass installed to create a new atrium. This is in addition to the restoration of three domes and the cleaning of the stonework on the exterior. The outside scaffolding will soon be removed.

The fully restored Maritime Museum is expected to reopen in spring 2025.

  • The museum work is part of Hull Maritime, a major regeneration project which also encompasses the refurbishment of Dock Office Chambers, the creation of a new visitor attraction at North End Shipyard, a new home for the restored trawler Arctic Corsair and the restoration of Spurn Lightship.

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