The £2.1 million restoration of Oxford University's Museum of Natural History will involve fitting compressible gaskets to the glass panes of the building's vast roof.
According to oxfordmail.co.uk, the 150-year-old facility has suffered from a leaking roof in the past, but a trial of the new gaskets on the dinosaur aisle has shown how much of a difference the gaskets can make.
Museum director Professor Paul Smith suggested the museum will also be a "brighter place" following the work as each pane can be cleaned. The Grade-I listed building welcomes about 600,000 visitors each year.
Professor Smith hailed the success of the trial, remarking: "It showed us what the museum could look like. That part of the roof no longer leaks and the quality of light in the interior court is much improved. We decided the best way forward is to combine the second and third phases to complete it in the shortest possible time."
The initial trial saw 3,500 of the Grade-I listed building's 8,500 glass panes stripped and cleaned, with safety film as well as gaskets then applied before being reinstalled. The museum looks set to close from this Christmas for about one year to allow the work to go ahead.
For now, the museum remains open and will continue to display its permanent collection in addition to special events such as the recent Museums in Tune. According to oxfordstudent.com, the occasion saw DJs Noel Lobley and Rupert Gill provide a night-time musical accompaniment for attendees.
Author: Paul Smithson
Date: 8th June 2012
