Mary Rose Trust Annual Review 2019 MARYROSEANNUALREPORT MR Final after Chair.indd 1 30/09/2019 16:08 2 MARYROSEANNUALREPORT MR Final after Chair.indd 2 30/09/2019 16:08 Over my forty-year involvement, I have been delighted to see the Trust evolve from an ambitious and determined group of enthusiasts undertaking the world’s biggest ever underwater archaeological excavation into a world class museum and professional organisation, respected around the world for its work. I am particularly pleased with the way the Trust continues to develop the fascinating Mary Rose story, with the latest scientific research revealing more compelling stories about the origins of the Mary Rose’s ship’s company, showing Tudor England was most likely far more diverse than we thought. It all makes for a spellbinding story and one that visitors continue to find as compelling as we all did when we were diving on, and excavating, the ship all those decades ago. I remain immensely proud of having played a small part in recovering the immense treasures of the Mary Rose for the nation and send my heartfelt thanks to all those, past and present, who support the Trust and help make sure that future generations can be inspired by this truly remarkable story. 3 MARYROSEANNUALREPORT MR Final after Chair.indd 3 30/09/2019 16:08 Highlight of our trip to Portsmouth. Seeing the salvaged ship and artefacts from 500 years ago, preserved so well. It’s spine tingling. TripAdvisor SK - Nuneaton 4 MARYROSEANNUALREPORT MR Final after Chair.indd 4 30/09/2019 16:08 Foreword was the first year of trading as an independent ‘Best Business enue’ and ‘Best Access and Inclusivity’. entity for Mary Rose and the team rose to the challenge The Trust was also pleased to receive ‘The First Sealord’s with their usual passion and enthusiasm. While the sudden Award for Excellence in Use of Digital Media’ at the nature of the changes certainly presented challenges, annual Maritime Awards in London in October . with a new ticketing system and Mary Rose Visitor Centre It was pleasing to see several strands of long-term and some being confused by the new separate ticketing work come to fruition this year, with the completion in the ockyard, we were pleased to finish the year having of conservation of the Mary Rose stem post, pump welcomed over , visitors. Significant changes have and anchor and positioning in the Weston Ship Hall been made during the year to reduce the cost base and to for drying. The year also saw the completion of introduce a more commercially focussed team and culture, fascinating new research into the origins of eight and we approached the 2019 season well prepared to grow of the Tudor crew and the airing of a new Channel 4 the business. documentary about this. The research formed the The museum’s visitor experience continues to be very well basis of a new exhibition, ‘Many Faces of Tudor received, with 85% of Trip Advisor reviewers awarding England’, which launched in March in the Admirals the maximum 5 star/exceptional rating. Mary Rose was Gallery of the Museum. delighted to reach the finals of the prestigious ‘European Finally, we were exceptionally sad to hear of the sudden Museum of the Year’ award in Warsaw in May 2018 and death of Mary Rose’s former Chairman, Michael Aiken, received a wonderful judges’ citation, reading: in March 2019. Mike chaired the Trust through a crucial ’In its final state, Mary Rose Museum is an exceptional phase of its history during the herculean fundraising achievement. Close to perfection in fields as different campaign that resulted in the building of the world-class, as presentation of historical research, underwater award-winning museum. A passionate advocate for archaeology, conservation techniques, experimental the Trust and a very generous donor in his own right, archaeology, architecture, scenography and virtual reality’ Mike was a true friend of Mary Rose and we will miss him enormously. Mary Rose also secured three Gold Awards in Tourism South East’s ‘Beautiful South Awards for Excellence in Tourism’ in December 2018. Golds were awarded Helen Bonser-Wilton in the categories of ‘Best Large isitor Attraction’, Chief Executive, The Mary Rose Trust 5 MARYROSEANNUALREPORT MR Final after Chair.indd 5 30/09/2019 16:08 Our impact in numbers 6 MARYROSEANNUALREPORT MR Final after Chair.indd 6 30/09/2019 16:08 7 MARYROSEANNUALREPORT MR Final after Chair.indd 7 30/09/2019 16:08 Setting the direction 2016-26 Our vision is to establish the Mary Rose as a ‘Must Experience’ British Icon, at the forefront of learning about Tudor Life, Maritime Archaeology and Applied Conservation Science. Our four key priorities to deliver this are: RE RE FRE CA SH S IN N G Caring for the Collections Refreshing the Offer IO T T H C E • Effective conservation and storage of the • Collections Story Research E L O Collection L F • New Experience Annually to Refresh Story O F E • Investigate new Support Structure for the Hull C • Compelling Family Programming R • Progress digitisation of the archive • World Class Service • Research conservation treatments As a Leading Museum Nurturing Support T L R E • Boost profi le as Sector Specialist • Embedding Cause Messaging in everything A O we do D P • Build profi le as Must-See British Icon I P N U • Build Engagement with local Community G S • Act as Consultants to Boost Reputation M G • Extend reach of learning programme U IN • Be Best in Class in Museums Sector R SE U • Nurture new generation of donors UM RT NU Consolidating Financial Sustainability A Great Organisation to Work For & With • Drive visitor business and contain costs • Build leadership & management skills • Build Permanent Endowment • Succession plan to protect skills of long term staff • Develop long-term base of Philanthropic Support • Build external partnerships that deliver strategy 8 MARYROSEANNUALREPORT MR Final after Chair.indd 8 30/09/2019 16:08 Becoming a ‘must experience’ British icon In April Mary Rose set sail into its fi rst year of around the proposition of ‘ ears, a eartbeat Away’ independent trading, selling tickets direct to the public and focussed on the Tudor experience of the Museum, online and face to face. The focus was on establishing with TV and radio adverts, outdoor posters and a series Mary Rose as a separately ticketed visit from the of print and digital media adverts. Dockyard and the team dealt well with the introduction The Trust was delighted to reach , visitors in its fi rst of a new tills system, online sales and the move to face year of independent trading and to double take-up of Gift to face selling at the Porter’s Lodge isitor Centre at the Aid on tickets, indicating stronger visitor engagement with entrance to the Dockyard. the Mary Rose charitable cause. Signifi cant progress was Mary Rose also took control of its own marketing, to also made in establishing independent group trade and ensure that the Trust is promoted above and beyond its schools’ business and strong foundations have been built proud naval story. Mary Rose is, above all, a story of life across the business for future visitor business growth. in Tudor England, at every level of society. The immersive Mary Rose Trading prospered under the new approach of the museum, which enthrals visitors through arrangement, with more engaged visitors spending much the sights, smells and sounds of life on board in Tudor more in the Mary Rose shop, leading to a 51% increase Times, gives an unparalleled insight into life in the reign in spend per head during the year. of Henry VIII. The new marketing campaign centred Really interactive and imaginative. “ One of the best museums I have been to for a long time. TripAdvisor CC, Devon 9 MARYROSEANNUALREPORT MR Final after Chair.indd 9 30/09/2019 16:08 Caring for the Collections & Archive Further progress has been made on effective stewardship of the collection and digitisation of the archive. Work is progressing on populating the Collections Management System with digital records for each artefact to provide a holistic and accurate view of our collections holdings. Digitisation of the Mary Rose archive continues with over 50,000 35mm slides now scanned and catalogued by our team of digitisation volunteers. Funding is sought at the moment to continue this work with other non-digital assets such as dive logs and videos. We aim over time to digitise the entire archive and make it accessible online. Work is underway to examine the feasibility of altering the environmental conditions in the Weston Ship Hall to create a more sustainable system in terms of energy costs and maintenance time. Discussions are underway with other institutions and our engineers to gather learnings, with in-house testing and close monitoring of Mary Rose timbers treated with Polyethylene Glycol (the chemical wax used to treat archaeological wood) in climate controlled chambers also planned, to evaluate impact of temperature and moisture changes. The giant stem post timber of the ship completed its consolidation treatment during and was transferred into the eston Ship all during February , along with the ship’s pump and an anchor. The artefacts will be air dried in the Ship Hall before being mounted into position at a later date. 10 MARYROSEANNUALREPORT MR Final after Chair.indd 10 30/09/2019 16:08 Scientific research Applied conservation science has underpinned our work at the Mary Rose from the beginning, and we continue to insist on academic rigour, innovation and work done to the highest professional standards.