Tag: Discovery Point Transformed

RRS Discovery secures vital funding to safeguard it’s future

Support from the National Heritage Memorial Fund protects iconic ship for the next generation, just weeks before Scotland hosts world climate conference

RRS Discovery, the world’s first ship to be designed specifically for scientific research and the sole survivor from the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration, has been safeguarded from critical deterioration thanks to £409,000 funding from the National Heritage Memorial Fund.

RRS Discovery, whose work is still used by climate change scientists, is the centrepiece of Dundee’s Discovery Point, one of two five star rated visitor attractions expertly cared for by the Dundee Heritage Trust. Now, more than a century after she was built in Dundee, urgent repairs are needed to preserve this iconic ship for future generations.

Specialist ship surveyors instructed by Dundee Heritage Trust recently found that the fabric of RRS Discovery has deteriorated, as is common with a wooden ship of her age, with an estimated £1.3m of work needed to prevent further damage and to secure her future as an internationally acclaimed visitor attraction.

The first stage of the urgent repair work, covered by the £409k funding announced today, will address:

  • timbers in the ship’s stern which are in an advanced state of degradation, affecting structural integrity
  • the stanchions or supports along the portside, which are in poor condition, resulting in rainwater leaking into the hull. Action is urgently required to avoid further damage and progressive decay; and
  • recaulking, necessary for ensuring the ship is watertight.

Built in Dundee in 1900 for Captain Robert Falcon Scott’s first Antarctic expedition, RRS Discovery undertook the world’s first scientific research in the Antarctic. 

The ground-breaking science carried out on this, and later expeditions, produced critical benchmark data and technological innovations that are still used by climate and environmental scientists. 

The historic ship returned to the city in 1986 and was greeted by thousands of people lining the docks – a turning point in Dundee’s fortunes after many years of decline. She remains a much-loved, iconic presence on Dundee’s waterfront and is Trip Advisor’s top-rated attraction in the city, consistently retaining the highly prized Travellers’ Choice Award, given only to those ranked in the top 10% internationally. 

Today’s funding news comes as Scotland gears up to host COP26, the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, hosted in Glasgow from 31 October to 12 November 2021.

Dundee University’s Dr Simon Cook, an expert in Geographical and Environmental Science, said: “As the world’s first scientific research ship, RRS Discovery occupies a unique position in the history of climate change science.  

“It is very fitting that this funding is being announced as Scotland prepares to host COP26, 100 years after Captain Scott and his crew first ventured to the uncharted Antarctic wilderness, setting a benchmark for scientific discovery that is still important to this day.

“Today, satellites are one of the most important tools for learning about climate change in Antarctica, but we lack data from before the advent of satellite technology. Observations made in the RRS Discovery’s ship logs about sea ice extent, for example, are still being used today to understand longer term changes in ice cover and the climate of this region.” 

RRS Discovery is officially recognised as one of the country’s most important historic ships and is the only polar research vessel in the UK’s National Historic Fleet. 

She is one of the last wooden three-masted sailing ships to be built in Britain and the only example of the type to survive. She was built in Dundee because of the city’s expertise in constructing strong whaling ships and was designed to withstand the ice-packed areas of the Antarctic. 

RRS Discovery was involved in three pioneering areas of polar research:

  • the British National Antarctic Expedition 1901-04 – the first extensive and highly successful scientific exploration of the Antarctic land mass, under the command of Captain Robert Falcon Scott;
  • the Discovery Oceanographic Expedition 1925-27 – the first maritime research undertaken to explore the natural habitat of whales, resulting in the world’s first whale conservation programme; and
  • the British, Australian and New Zealand Antarctic Research Expedition 1929-31 – an extensive survey of the land masses and oceans of the South Atlantic and Antarctic.

The critical work announced today will form the first phase of the ship’s conservation, with further renovations planned as part of Discovery Point Transformed.  

This £12m redevelopment project was given the green light at the beginning of August 2021 thanks to substantial investment from the Scottish Government as part of the Tay Cities Deal and The National Lottery Heritage Fund, with additional fundraising currently underway. 

This project, run by the Dundee Heritage Trust, will transform one of Dundee’s most popular and highly rated museums, Discovery Point, into a new multi-element visitor attraction with a strong emphasis on climate change and environmental sustainability. 

Jim Pettigrew, Chair of Dundee Heritage Trust said: “RRS Discovery is the pride of Dundee and the jewel in the crown of our historic waterfront, which is now a major tourist destination attracting visitors from around the globe. 

“This essential conservation work is also an important step towards our £12m plans to redevelop Discovery Point, with a major fundraising campaign taking place to secure the remaining investment needed to make this possible.”

Dr Simon Thurley, Chair, National Heritage Memorial Fund, said: “We are delighted to support this essential preservation work to RRS Discovery, a ship of national importance in Scotland and the UK.

“The National Heritage Memorial Fund exists to safeguard some of our finest heritage at risk of loss, and thanks to our support of £409,000 RRS Discovery will continue to be an important draw to visitors to Dundee’s historic waterfront.

“The ship joins the many hundreds of important and much-loved treasures that can be seen and enjoyed across the UK thanks to the National Heritage Memorial Fund.”

The work is expected to be carried out within 12 months. RRS Discovery will remain open to the public throughout.

Dundee’s £12m heritage transformation plans unveiled

Climate change heritage to take centre-stage in stunning transformation of Discovery Point

Dundee’s Discovery Point, home to one of the world’s most famous scientific research ships – the RRS Discovery – is set to be completely transformed after securing substantial financial backing from the Scottish Government and the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The news is the latest seismic shift in Dundee’s fortunes as it’s transformed from the industrial city of jute, jam and journalism into a global tourism destination.  

Scotland’s fourth largest city is the winner of multiple tourism and staycation awards, home to the remarkable V&A Dundee, soon to be the home of the Eden Project in Scotland and now set to be an important centre of climate change heritage, science and learning.

The £12m Discovery Point Transformed project has been awarded £900k of Scottish Government funding through the Tay Cities Culture and Tourism Investment Programme, with another £1.6m approved subject to a successful match-funding drive.

A further £316k initial investment has been awarded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, with another £2.55m expected if plans progress as anticipated. 

This £5 million of funding adds to over £1m already raised from a combination of Dundee Heritage Trust’s own funds, grants and donations from a range of trusts and foundations, high net worth individuals and corporate sponsors.  This puts the project over the halfway mark to being fully funded, with two years to raise the balance.

The project, run by the Dundee Heritage Trust, will transform one of Dundee’s most popular and highly rated visitor attractions, Discovery Point, from a traditional heritage museum into a new multi-element visitor attraction with a strong emphasis on climate change and environmental sustainability. 

An artist’s impression of exterior looking west from V&A Dundee. Credit AIM Design

Discovery Point will have five new or substantially revamped major attractions:

‘Think Global, Act Local’ climate change gallery – a major, completely new, world-class visitor attraction, highlighting the international significance of the RRS Discovery and its expeditions, and their connections to the major global issues of climate change and the ocean environment.

The Dundee Dome Experience – a stunning, brand new visitor centre in this previously inaccessible roof space at the top of the Discovery Point Dome, offering 360°panoramic views of the city, waterfront and River Tay and featuring Gaia, the impressive artwork by world famous environmental artist, Luke Jerram.  Now fully funded and due to open in 2022.

RRS Discovery – conservation and preservation of this world heritage asset, the ship that took Scott and Shackleton to the Antarctic in the days when that was as unthinkable as space travel. A recent specialist survey has identified several critical areas for conservation. 

A new permanent gallery – using the site of the current café, the gallery will focus on polar exploration, including the infamous ‘Race to the Pole’ which dominated Captain Scott’s ill-fated second expedition to the Antarctic, and the amazing and inspiring life story of Sir Ernest Shackleton, who sailed first to the Antarctic on board Discovery in 1901.

A new gallery for temporary and special exhibitions – this will allow Discovery Point to host a greater range of temporary exhibitions – either developed in-house or touring exhibitions – and the potential to host larger scale ‘blockbusters’ exhibitions. 

In addition, the transformation will include refurbishment of existing galleries; the development of a new river-facing café/restaurant and events space; expanded and enhanced conference and event facilities; a redesigned entrance and reception area; environmental improvements to meet low carbon targets; and a comprehensive programme of learning for schools and the wider community, with exciting new themes of Antarctic exploration, science and climate change. 

The resulting world-class tourism centre will bring significant benefits to the local, regional and national economy, forge partnerships with other regional attractions and ensure the financial sustainability of an established museum with an international audience. 

Economy Secretary Kate Forbes said: “I’m pleased to see the latest step in the delivery of the Regional Culture and Tourism Investment Programme, supported through the Tay Cities Region Deal. We are investing £37 million in projects across the region to ensure it continues to excel in its offer to residents and visitors alike. 

“I’m delighted that our funding will help Discovery Point enhance their offering and, in particular, emphasise the importance of climate change as Scotland prepares to host COP26 in November.”

Think Global: Act Local gallery

The news of the redevelopment comes as the world prepares for COP26, the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, hosted just 80 miles away in Glasgow from 31 October to 12 November 2021.  

Discovery Point and its new ‘Think Global: Act Local’ Climate Change gallery will celebrate and exploreDundee’s authentic links to climate change – the RRS Discovery undertook the world’s first scientific research in the Antarctic, producing critical benchmark data and technological innovations which are still used to this day by climate scientists.  

It will also highlight how individuals can reduce their environmental impact.

Linking historic objects from the Discovery collection with cutting-edge research from world-leading partners in polar and environmental science, the gallery will use objects, audio-visual, interactive and immersive content to engage visitors with the theme of climate change.

It will also explore the less comfortable elements of Dundee’s environmental impact, such as the pollution from factories during the industrial revolution and the city’s whaling heritage. This will link to the more inspiring story of Discovery’s second Antarctic mission in the 1920s, from which the whale conservation movement was born. 

Jim Pettigrew, Chair of Dundee Heritage Trust, said: “The transformation of Discovery Point will have a huge impact on the city, bringing visitors, jobs and investment to Dundee and helping to put the city on the map as a global destination for green tourism.  

“We are delighted to have secured this financial support – a huge vote of confidence in our plans.  There now begins a major public funding drive to raise a further £6m, which is necessary to unlock a significant proportion of the money committed so far.”

Phase one of Discovery Point Transformed – the fully funded Dundee Dome Experience – will open for the 2022 tourist season.  The remainder of the capital works – phase two – is expected to take place between 2023 and 2025, with both of Dundee Heritage Trust’s five star rated venues, Discovery Point and Dundee’s Social History Museum and Scotland’s Jute Museum at Verdant Works staying open throughout.