The USS MONITOR Center’s Ironclad Revolution exhibition was recently awarded the American Association of Museums’ (AAM) 20th Annual Excellence in Exhibition Competition Award. The new $30 million Center is one of four winning entries out of the 33 AAM received this year.

The Richardson Maritime Museum in Cambridge MD is planning a $300,000 restoration of what may be the largest surviving skipjack in the Chesapeake Bay.
More 4/08

Relocation relocation
THE famous lightship Calshot Spit, which guided vessels in and out of Southampton Water between 1914-1978, has been on display on at Southampton’s Ocean Village complex for the last 20 years. Now, however, it could return to the water as a major attraction at Southampton’s new £19m ($38.2m) cruise terminal, which Associated British Ports announced it was building in December after signing a new 20-year deal with Carnival UK.
The distinctive red ship will be relocated to an abandoned dock alongside the new terminal when it opens next year. Moving the 200 tonne vessel from Ocean Village to the port’s Eastern Docks will be a major operation and ABP have kindly offered to help.
- Lloyd's List 12 March 2008

Dubai: The UAE's first maritime museum will be built in the Academic Quarter of the Maritime City.
9/07 Details

Too junky to junk?
6/07 Full Story

CARRICK THROWN A LIFELINE??
5/07 Full story      More

24 May: Results of a forensic examination of the remains of the ship, which was badly damaged in the early morning blaze on Monday, have proved inconclusive.

The Metropolitan Police are continuing to investigate the cause of the fire but say they have no major leads.

A police spokesman said: "Greenwich Police continue to make inquiries and view CCTV footage from around the area. At this stage, we have no major leads and inquiries continue."

6/07  website     photographs of fire       the restoration interactive    News digest

Sunken ships reborn

The Korean National Maritime Museum in Mokpo, South Cholla Province, is Korea's only national maritime museum and institute of underwater salvage and research.

The museum was originally a place in charge of the preservation and restoration of the hull and remains of a ``Sinanson'' (Sinan ship), which was salvaged from the seabed off Chungdo, an island in Sinan County in 1976.

It was one of the world's richest underwater archeological discoveries in terms of historical and artistic value. During salvage operations that were conducted until 1984, 23,502 pieces of remains were found, including pieces of celadon, coins, metalwork and spices.

Among them, the main exhibition item is the 34.8-meter-long wooden sailing ship Sinanson, which has an 11-meter beam, a largely intact keel, seven bulkheads and three masts. It was a Chinese merchant ship belonging to the Yuan Dynasty that was on its way to Japan to sell its goods in the 14th century, according to the museum.

The remains of Sinanson and other restored ships provide people with an insight into East Asia's economy, art, handicrafts and shipbuilding technology of those times.

3/07 The Korea Times. For more information: www.seamuse.go.kr

Townsville Maritime Museum attempts to secure HMAS TOWNSVILLE
2/07 Full story

THE world's oldest clipper, SV Carrick, is finally to be broken up.

Permission for the 143-year-old ship, which is currently stored on a slipway at the Scottish Maritime Museum in Irvine, to be dismantled has been given after a study concluded it would cost £10million to restore.

Enthusiasts from across the world had hoped that the beleaguered vessel, which sank in Glasgow 15 years ago, could have become a top tourist attraction, but North Ayrshire Council decided the wreck was too far gone.

Museum trustee Graham Kennison said: "It's a very sad end."

Source: www.eveningtimes.co.uk 19 Jan 2007

Rabelo Boats from Portugal full details
11/06

Museum Director leaves in historic style! The outgoing Director of the Royal Naval Museum, Dr Campbell McMurray OBE, left the Museum for the final time after 17 years at the helm - onboard one of the Museum's historic craft. Dr McMurray who joined the RN Museum in Portsmouth (UK) was previously Director of the Scottish Maritime Museum. He left the Dockyard on the Steam Pinnace 199, which is the only remaining craft of its type in opwrking order, having served at the Battle of Jutland 90 years ago.
Built in 1911, the pinnace was restored to full working order under Dr McMurray's directorship. Admiral Sir Peter Abbott, Chairman of the Museum Trustees, said "This is a most fitting send off for Campbell. His remarkable contribution to the development of this museum was inspired by his love of ships and all things to do with the sea. "
Dr McMurray's directorship saw remarkable changes including a 5 million pound redevelopment, award-winning new exhibitions, and visitor numbers soar with 2005's Trafalgar Bicentenary celebrations.
- 'first base' magazine Autumn 2006 10/06

Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates in the Arabian Gulf, will soon have a Frank Gehry-designed Guggenheim Museum , called the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi (GAD). The 323,000-square-foot contemporary art facility, slated to open by 2011 in the Cultural District of Saadiyat Island , became official with a recently signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the New York-based Guggenheim Foundation. A natural island just offshore the UAE capital, Saadiyat Island will also serve three other museums-a national museum, a classical art museum, and a maritime museum-as well as a performing arts center and an arts center park. About half the size of Bermuda, the island is part of a massive new $27 billion mixed-use development project, expected to be completed in 2018. 7/06