A design agency which works on prestigious projects around the world has won a contract to design and build a new gallery telling the 260-year story of HMS Victory.
Haley Sharpe Design, in Leicester, will work with and Marcon Fit Out, based in Northern Ireland, to create the gallery for the National Museum of the Royal Navy at the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.
The Sir Donald Gosling Victory Gallery is being fully redeveloped to engage and inspire more visitors with the story of the ship’s construction, commission and the on-going work to keep it ship-shape.
The Victory is the oldest commissioned warship in the world and is said to be the single most important artefact for understanding the history of the Royal Navy.
Haley Sharpe Design and Marcon will work closely with The National Museum of the Royal Navy and HMS Victory Preservation Company to deliver the £1.1 million project.
The gallery will complement the HMS Victory on-board experience which focuses on the Battle of Trafalgar.
After an initial design period the fit-out of the museum will begin in January. It should be open by Easter.
The new displays will tell Victory’s story from ‘acorn to icon’, and chart significant events from the laying of her keel to the huge ongoing conservation effort to preserve the nation’s flagship.
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Lindsay McGuirk, design and content manager at Haley Sharpe Design, said: “The fascinating story of conservation is not just a present-day one, for many years people have battled to Save Victory.
“With modern day techniques in conservation bringing together science, technology, engineering and art and craftsmanship, visitors can understand and appreciate her historical value, but also see the passion and pride in the team that make it their mission to protect her.”
She said there will be immersive cinematic spaces and human stories bringing different perspectives to Victory’s story.
About HMS Victory:
The Victory is a 104-gun first rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy and is one of the main attractions at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard which welcomes more than 1.2 million visitors a year.
Construction of HMS Victory started in 1758 and was launched in 1765.
She is best known for her role as Admiral Lord Nelson’s flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar on 21st October 1805.
In 1922, she was moved to a dry dock in Portsmouth and preserved as a museum ship.
She has been the flagship of the First Sea Lord since October 2012 and is the world’s oldest naval ship still in commission, with 241 years’ service as of 2019.
Artefacts, many of which bear the scars of battle, will be presented alongside playful digital and hands-on interactive displays.
The team will partner with creative software developer ISO to develop the gallery’s immersive and digital media. ISO has already worked on projects such as Titanic Belfast, Chatham Dockyard and Epic, Ireland.
Haley Sharpe Design and ISO previously worked together on the Stonehenge Visitor Centre.
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Based in Guildhall Lane, near Leicester Cathedral, Haley Sharpe Design has built an international reputation for design work on museum and heritage sites.
They include the new Postal Museum and Mail Rail in London, the Royal Armouries in Hampshire and London, the Kurdistan Museum in Erbil and the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center in Maryland, America.
It has also worked on the Grand Egyptian Museum.
Martin McErlean, heritage contracts manager at Marcon Fit Out, which will make the specialist joinery for the gallery, said: “This project is another landmark scheme for Marcon’s heritage team.
“We are excited to be working with hsd on the design and build of the Sir Donald Gosling Gallery.
“HMS Victory is a world-famous tourist attraction and to play a role in showcasing the history of the ship to future generations will be very rewarding.”
Andrew Baines, deputy director of heritage at The National Museum of the Royal Navy, said: “HMS Victory is the jewel in the crown of Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.
“Visitors are already familiar with the dramatic story of the ship’s role at the Battle of Trafalgar.
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“In the new gallery we will be sharing the unknown stories of her 260-year story, bringing to the fore extraordinary but little-known episodes such as bomb-damage in the Second World War, the ship’s near loss in a ramming accident in 1903, and her development from a weapon of war to a national icon.
“At the heart of the new gallery will be an immersive AV experience unlike anything else on site.
“We are extremely excited to be working with hsd on this project, and look forward to welcoming visitors to the new gallery which opens Easter 2020.”