Opened in 1995 as home to the Royal Armouries collection of artillery, Fort Nelson houses the finest collection of cannon in the world today. Museum entrance is free and the Royal Armouries runs a calendar of family and children’s events, spectacular historical re-enactments, and a stimulating education programme.
Visitor numbers have risen year-on-year from 40,000 in 2000 to 90,000 in 2005 with an average annual increase in visitors of 27% a year. In many ways Fort Nelson is a victim of its own success as, with the increase in visitor numbers and the increasing demand for educational visits, the site itself has come under pressure and needs to develop to meet its visitor needs.
The redevelopment programme will bring the Fort’s history to life and dramatically enhance the visitor experience. Key features will include:
- A new Visitor Centre, with a café, shop and tourist information centre
- Spectacular new gallery to house the national collection’s most iconic exhibits – from the Turkish Bombard (1463) to Saddam Hussein’s Iraqi Supergun
- Classroom of the Future – a learning facility equipped with the latest digital technology to engage children in a fresh and exciting way
- A larger, better, safer car park linking the Fort to the Nelson monument for the first time
- A glass lift providing access for all to every part of the site
- New social history galleries focusing on the history of Fort Nelson itself
- Dramatic drawbridge entrance.
http://www.prsarchitects.com/
http://www.fort-nelson-hlf-development.org/
The closest thing to a decent site plan on the application.
The North elevation (parade ground view) of the new gallery showing the gateway into the fort at 13 and the wavy lines indicating the ETFE roof.
A cross section of the gallery and drawbridge.
Latest progress pics;
Untitled by Royal Armouries, on Flickr
Untitled by Royal Armouries, on Flickr
Untitled by Royal Armouries, on Flickr
Backfilling the side of the visitor centre with chalk by Royal Armouries, on Flickr
Untitled by Royal Armouries, on Flickr