Hull Maritime Museum reopens after £20m revamp with whale skeleton and scrimshaw

The Hull Maritime Museum in Hull, England, has reopened following a £20.4m renovation, showcasing a 40ft-long North Atlantic right whale skeleton as its centerpiece. The museum, originally opened in 1912 as the Museum of Fisheries and Shipping, was converted into the Maritime Museum in 1975 and had become outdated, with only two of four floors accessible. The project, led by conservation specialist Purcell, removed an intrusive ramp and toned down the color scheme to subtle marine blues and white. Funding came from Hull City Council (£11.8m), the National Lottery Heritage Fund (£7.7m), and private donations. The museum now doubles its public space and displays 1,300 artefacts, including a world-class scrimshaw collection, a 'monkey mermaid' chimera, and a figurehead from the Sirius, the first steamship to cross the Atlantic under steam power in 1838. The renovation also restored the Court Room, with its heraldic shields and scagliola columns, to serve as an events venue. The museum is part of a wider regeneration circuit including Queen's Gardens and a new visitor centre for the Arctic Corsair trawler. The project follows Hull's City of Culture year in 2017 and aims to revitalize the city's maritime heritage.