£500,000 funding for refurbishment of Discovery Point

Discovery Point in Dundee has secured more than £500,000 of funding to help pay for new exhibitions, including an interactive sledge-pulling experience.

After receiving £200,000 from Dundee City Council, Discovery Point obtained £258,000 from the Coastal Communities Fund.

Another £65,000 is coming from charitable trusts and the Friends of Dundee Heritage Trust.

Dundee Heritage Trust, which runs Discovery Point, has recruited AIM Design as architects and exhibition designers for the project, which will also see the visitor centre refurbished.

Building work is expected to begin in October, with the project completed by Easter next year.

The new galleries and visitor experience will include new graphics, audiovisual shows, computers and interactive experiences and an extended display of the polar collection.

Visitors will be able to try their hands at pulling a sledge to see if they have what it takes to be a polar explorer.

A large touch-table computer will also be installed that will allow visitors to virtually explore historic huts, contemporary scientific bases and modern research vessels in the Antarctic.

Paul Jennings, executive director of Dundee Heritage Trust, said: “We are extremely grateful to the Coastal Communities Fund, Dundee City Council and the other charitable trusts which are making these exciting developments happen, and we’re proud to continue to be instrumental in helping transform Dundee’s waterfront.”

The Coastal Communities Fund is investing £4.3m in coastal cities.

Scottish Government Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham said: “With more than 10,000 miles of stunning coastline in Scotland we need to do all we can to protect the marine environment that lives there and to help people living and working in these areas make the most of the economic opportunities on offer.”

The RRS Discovery has just undergone a £350,000 restoration project and will reopen to the public tomorrow.