Exhibition designers sought to ‘reimagine Boathouse 6’ including new Royal Marines Museum
The National Museum of the Royal Navy is launching a search for innovative exhibition designers to join a combined professional team and lead development of exhibition design, interpretation and visitor experience of the critical new £13.9m investment at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. The project ‘Reimagining Boathouse 6’ aims to transform the magnificent 1840’s Grade II* Boathouse 6 into a centre for activities for all ages where heritage is valued, accessible and relevant. The building will be home to; The Royal Marines Experience Museum, a permanent special exhibition gallery, a family-focused Marines-themed Laser Quest and a dual-use public programming and conference facility.
The National Museum of the Royal Navy (NMRN) has today (15 May 2024) launched a search for service partners to support it to deliver exhibition design, interpretation and visitor experience for a dynamic new offer to Portsmouth Historic Dockyard (PHD). The reimagination of Boathouse No.6 - a Grade II* listed building constructed in 1845 and one of the earliest examples of a building with load-bearing iron -frames – will bring ground-breaking new visitor experiences to the site.
The appointed suppliers will be responsible for the creation of new permanent exhibition spaces will lead visitors on a compelling journey through four centuries of the history of the Royal Marines. From the creation of its forerunner in 1664 to its current population; looking at operations past and present in times of war and peace.
Visitors will be able to follow the story across the ground floor of Boathouse 6, choosing to explore through an active immersive route and / or through an object rich multi -media exploration of the history of the Corps. The intention is that the story of the Royal Marines will be told in a truly active and engaging way, enabling visitors not only to learn about who the Royal Marines are (past and present), but also inviting them to partake in a number of tasks designed to give a taste of the level of physical and mental fitness required to do the job. Displays and their content will draw on examples past and present and will put the very special Royal Marines ethos at the heart of the story.
The appointed designers will also be tasked with creating a new Special Exhibition Gallery. Portsmouth Historic Dockyard - which is operated by the National Museum of the Royal Navy in partnership with the Mary Rose Trust and features in the top forty UK visitor attractions (according to Association of Leading Visitor Attractions) and the top three paid attractions in England outside of London - attracts over 870,000 visits to its paid attractions. However, it has never before had a dedicated temporary exhibition space.
This new, extraordinary, compelling and flexible space inside the historic former boathouse and overlooking the Scheduled Monument and Grade 1 Listed Mast Pond will measure 400m2 and will be one of the biggest temporary exhibition spaces in the South of England. This will enable the Museum to stage temporary exhibitions that refresh the offer at the Historic Dockyard and can attract new and different audiences, create opportunities for wider partnership working and explore a wide range of arts, culture and heritage narratives.
The exhibition designers are being procured as part of a wider piece of work by the Museum to secure a professional team for the project. Other services for Project Management, Quantity surveying and Architectural Services are being sought via the Public Procurement Framework. However, Exhibition Designer are able to apply through an open tender process, with potential partners able to access further information on the Contract Finder website.
Matthew Sheldon Interim Director General for the Museum says:
“The National Museum of the Royal Navy is seeking expressions of interest from Exhibition Designers who can support us on the delivery of this hugely exciting and ambitious project. The Royal Marines story is central to the story of the Royal Navy and therefore to the purpose of the Museum and we want to use the latest interpretative and digital techniques to really bring this story to life.
We hold incredible historic collections detailing the resilience, endeavour and innovation of the Royal Marines over the last 350 years. But we are also embarking on exciting partnership working with the Royal Navy and the Royal Marines Corps, to bring those historical narratives into a contemporary focus, sharing the stories of current service personnel and their experiences operating across the globe. Our vision as a Museum to connect Navy with Nation is never more evident than in this project.”
The former Royal Marines Museum, based in Eastney Portsmouth closed in 2017 with the intention of bringing the story to Portsmouth Historic Dockyard where it will sit alongside ships and collections that also explore the service of the Royal Marines, not least HMS Victory upon which hundreds of Royal Marines served throughout her commissions.
The redevelopment of Boathouse 6 is a capital project estimated to cost in the region of £14m. Fundraising has been undertaken to secure 50% of this already, with further fundraising bids underway. The estimated opening date for the project is Summer 2026.
The Museum will be hosting a Market Engagement Day on the 30th May for anyone interested in supporting the project. This will enable potential suppliers to visit the Portsmouth site, to explore the spaces earmarked for development and to meet with the project team and discover more about their ambitions for the project.