Record numbers flock to Mary Rose

An artist's cut-away impression of the new Mary Rose museum

Almost 1,000 people flocked to to see Henry VIII's warship, the Mary Rose, in Portsmouth on Saturday before it closes while a £35m museum is built.

The ship's hall at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard will shut for three years but the existing museum will remain open.

The Heritage Lottery Fund agreed to award £21m to the Mary Rose Trust, which has raised nearly £10m.

The museum will reflect the original ship's structure with Nelson's HMS Victory, docked alongside.

Other new features include galleries running the length of the vessel to imitate the missing port side.

'Glass barriers'

More than 60% of the collection of original artefacts, including uniforms, weaponry, medical instruments, eating utensils and silver tankards will be exhibited with atmospheric lighting to allow visitors to feel as though they are walking on board the ship.

A spokeswoman for the trust said: "The figure of just under 1,000 is double number of people who usually attend."

Mary Rose sank on 19 July 1545 with the loss of more than 400 lives after 34 years of service .

The hull of the ship was salvaged in 1982 and has been on display since.

It will continue to be sprayed with preserving polyethylene glycol, a water-based wax solution until 2011 and then it will be carefully "baked dry".

The spokeswoman for the trust added: "This process will continue into 2012, when the new museum opens in time for the Olympics.

"Although the Mary Rose will be on display in the new museum it will be protected behind glass barriers while the conservation work is completed.

"The glass will be removed in 2016 and then members of the public will be able to enjoy an uninterrupted view of the ship."

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