A process has begun that will see eight fragile and unusual marine animal skeletons removed from the Hull Maritime Museum.
Hull City Council has launched a procurement process to appoint specialists to remove, conserve, pack and transport the specimens – including the skeletons of a huge tuna fish and a 40ft north Atlantic right whale – from the museum’s collection
Specialist conservators are being invited to submit their interest being part of the multi-million pound Hull Maritime project.
Experts will be asked to assess the packing and transportation of the skeletons into storage as well as a full cleaning and conservation process ahead of the installation, animation and redisplay of each skeleton at the museum.
Councillor Daren Hale, deputy leader of Hull City Council, said: “This is an excellent opportunity for specialist conservators to be involved in a major and exciting development scheme in Hull. To enable the refurbishment works to take place, we have to pack and move the 50,000 objects from the museum and this is the first element of this complex task.
Whale skeletons in the Hull Maritime Museum before its refurbishment began.
“The conservation of these priceless objects will secure their long-term future. Some of these significant skeletons will play a starring role in our new displays, helping to tell the story of Hull’s maritime past.”
The multi-million pound heritage-led regeneration scheme will include changes at the Grade II* listed Hull Maritime Museum, the Dock Office Chambers, the North End Shipyard and two historic vessels, the Arctic Corsair and Spurn Lightship.
Work is expected to get under way in the autumn.
The deadline is Monday 27 July and the procurement documents are available to view here.
