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.