HMS Belfast reopens
Posted by Chris Graham on 25th July 2021
We’re delighted to report the planned reopening of HMS Belfast to the public, and the exciting improvements that have been made.
HMS Belfast: It’s great news that this historic light cruiser is now open to the public once again, and that significant improvements have been made to the warship during the lengthy closure.
Following an extended and enforced closure since March 2020, we’re delighted to report that HMS Belfast has reopened with an enhanced visitor experience. Entry will now be allowed to new areas of the ship, where visitors can learn about the lives of the crew who served on board and also engage in multi-sensory and interactive experiences which bring the history of the Royal Navy warship to life.
Over the past year, exhibition spaces within the ship have been reinterpreted, including the Quarter Deck, 2 Deck, the Forward Steering Position and one of the main gun turrets, with the new interpretation focusing on three narrative periods, which are World War II, End of Empire and Cold War.
It is now 50 years since Belfast opened to the public in London, and this recent, extended closure has also enabled essential conservation work to be carried out, including anti-corrosion measures, deck repairs, repainting of the hull and carrying out maintenance on the four-inch guns.
The most extensive changes have been made to 2 Deck, where visitors will be introduced to the lives of key members of the ship’s crew from over the years, including people like Surgeon Lieut Robert Anthony Rowan, who saved many lives aboard HMS Belfast during the Korean War.
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