40ft whale skeleton on the move
WORK is under way to dismantle and move a fragile 113-year-old whale skeleton ahead of a £12 million project to redevelop Hull’s historic maritime sites.
The 40ft (12.2m) skeleton of the juvenile North Atlantic right whale – which was caught, with its mother, by a retired whaling captain near the coast of New York in 1907 – is one of the first objects to be moved as part of the refurbishment of Hull Maritime Museum.
It is one of 50,000 exhibits that will be documented, cleaned and carefully packed away into long-term storage in a task that is expected to take around a year to complete. Nigel Larkin, a specialist whale conservator working on the project, said: “The museum has an important and fascinating collection that tells the story of Hull’s unique maritime heritage.
“Cleaning and conserving such historic specimens is always a pleasure. We look forward to returning the whale skeletons cleaner, in better condition, and mounted ready for installation in the newly refurbished galleries.”
Stathis Tsolis, conservation and engagement officer at Hull Maritime Museum, said: “The whale is cherished by many people visiting the museum.”