Lord Duncan visits historic RRS Discovery
UK Government Minister for Scotland, Lord Ian Duncan of Springbank, toured the historic RRS Discovery today as part of a programme of visits across Dundee.
Lord Duncan at Discovery Point
Lord Duncan was welcomed aboard by Dundee Heritage Trust Executive Director, Paul Jennings, and enjoyed an informal tour of the newly-redeveloped Discovery Point.
The award-winning visitor attraction celebrates its 25th Anniversary this summer, and with the neighbouring V&A opening in September, Discovery Point is ready to play its part in welcoming visitors from across the globe.
A recent £500,000 investment, supported by the Coastal Communities Fund, Dundee City Council and the Friends of Dundee Heritage Trust, has dramatically enhanced the five-star attraction in anticipation of the surge of visitors to Dundee’s waterfront.
The Coastal Communities Fund is a UK-wide programme created and funded by the UK Government which aims to encourage the economic development of UK coastal communities by awarding funding to create sustainable economic growth and jobs.
Lord Duncan was given the opportunity to visit the redeveloped galleries, which include fresh graphics, new audio-visual shows, hands-on digital interactives and a dedicated multi-purpose learning and activity space, as well as displays of previously unseen objects from the museum’s nationally significant polar collection.
Lord Duncan said:
Dundee is undergoing a renaissance, and every time I visit, I am reminded of the vibrancy and innovation of the city. The waterfront regeneration has given a new lease of life to the area and is a destination for visitors and locals alike. Partially funded with over £250,000 of UK Government money through the Coastal Communities Fund, it aims to bring more people to the area and I have been very impressed with progress and development of new galleries at Discovery Point, that are a key part of this transformation.
Dundee Heritage Trust Executive Director, Paul Jennings, said:
We’re delighted to welcome Lord Duncan to Discovery Point. As a key partner in the VisitDundee campaign, we want to ensure that the hundreds of thousands of tourists who are set to visit the new V&A are encouraged to explore everything else that Dundee has to offer. With the redevelopment of our exhibition spaces and a packed 25th Anniversary programme for 2018, Discovery Point is ready to make the most of this exciting year for Dundee’s tourism.
The Wall Street Journal recently named Dundee as one of the top 5 locations in the world alongside the likes of Madagascar and Shanghai, The Observer named it a must-see destination for 2018, while leading US business magazine Bloomberg ranking the UNESCO City of Design next to Los Angeles, Singapore and Florence in their roundup of the 22 best places to visit this year.