Hampshire sails into new Mary Rose partnership

29 June 2009

Hampshire County Council is contributing £800,000 towards a brand new Mary Rose Museum in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard as it invests in the cultural legacy of the County and its future economic prosperity.

Mary Rose collection is historically unique achieving worldwide recognition from experts and academic institutions. This latest contribution will be matched by fundraising from the Mary Rose Trust towards the £35 million needed to build what is already being named as a ‘centre of excellence’ for Tudor History.

The new museum will be a major international cultural tourist attraction increasing visitor numbers and adding to the county’s £2.3 billion tourism economy. The Museum will help Portsmouth Harbour develop its importance as a cultural destination that will in turn improve the wellbeing and quality of life of Hampshire residents. The museum will also contribute to the regeneration of Gosport and its proud seafaring heritage as it is predicted that visitors to Portsmouth will cross the harbour to visit other naval museums in Gosport and in turn boost local trade.

The new Mary Rose Museum will open in 2012 and provide Hampshire with a world-class exhibition space able to preserve this extraordinary ship and all her treasures, for future generations to enjoy. The museum will contain over 14,000 artefacts compared to the 1000 currently on display. It will also house a new learning centre which will quadruple the existing learning space and a new and improved laboratory and workshop facilities.

The whole of Hampshire will benefit from this new partnership as plans for an enhanced learning and community outreach programme will include taking rare artefacts such as seamen’s footwear, nit combs and beautiful pewter dishes to Council run schools, libraries and museums. The council museum service will also be working with the Trust on preserving and displaying their unique collections.

His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, President of the Mary Rose Trust recently congratulated all those who have been engaged in these activities and who helped bring the Mary Rose to this stage. John Lippiett, Chief Executive of the Mary Rose Trust said "the Trust is absolutely thrilled to receive this significant support at a crucial time".

Dr David Starkey, trustee of the Mary Rose Trust as well as world renowned Tudor/Henry VIII expert said “Once the Mary Rose is the most important historical survival of the reign. It’s the English Pompeii or Herculaneum, our very own tomb of Tutankhamun.