Climate change focus for Dundee heritage centre revamp

An artist's impression of what the new heritage centre would look like

Climate change will be at the heart of a £12m transformation of Dundee's Discovery Point heritage centre.

Five new or improved attractions are planned at the home of the famous scientific research ship RRS Discovery.

These include a new visitor centre on the roof giving panoramic views of the city.

Dundee Heritage Trust said more than half the funding had been raised after pledges from the Scottish government and National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Other changes include a new attraction on the Discovery's connection to climate change and the ocean environment.

A new gallery on polar exploration and a space for hosting large exhibitions are also to be built alongside a completely revamped entrance and reception.

The centre opened to the public in 1993

Further "significant" preservation work will also be carried out on RRS Discovery as part of the project.

The scheme will also look at more "uncomfortable" aspects of Dundee's links to climate change including pollution from factories during the Industrial Revolution and the city's history of whaling.

The RRS Discovery was built in 1901 for polar expeditions, and set off on what is now known as the Discovery Expedition to Antarctica, where scientists and crew carried out pioneering research work on the unexplored continent.

Dundee Heritage Trust chief executive Deirdre Robertson said: "RRS Discovery actually undertook the world's first climate change research.

"It was the first scientific research ship in Antarctica and that data is still being used as benchmark data by climate change scientists to this day."

A new visitor centre will be built in the heritage centre's roof space

Some £900,000 of Scottish government funding has already been confirmed, with another £1.6m approved subject to a successful match-funding drive.

Meanwhile, a further £316,000 initial investment has been awarded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, with another £2.55m expected.

More than £1m has already been raised from grants, donations and sponsors, making the £12m project more than half-funded, with two years left to secure the balance.

Ms Robertson said: "We have a very experienced fundraising team in place, so we're optimistic that we'll make that target.

"We believe we're hitting the right buttons, both with the public and with funders, with such an important issue as climate change."