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Improvements to the John Fieldhouse Building
The NMRN supported by a significant donation by Friends of the RN Submarine Museum has refreshed the ground floor of the John Fieldhouse Building to improve visitor experience, orientation and interpretation on arrival at the Museum. The project has updated the Museum’s narrative to connect visitors to the current Submarine Service, to its boats, operations and people.
These were the objectives:
- To create a clear entrance into a central reception area and exit through a retail area that will become a vital element of the visitor route.
- To orientate visitors to all aspects of the RNSM site (Holland 1, HMS Alliance, JFB / X-24).
- To create a sense of place which connects the RNSM to the former HMS Dolphin site and places it within the wider NMRN.
- To make submariners the centre of RNSM interpretation, highlighting the fact that ordinary life on board a submarine is extraordinary.
- To provide flexibility, so that the visitor centre can be used for events.
Behind the story
This project moved from planning stage into implementation stage on Wednesday 22 March 2023. The Friends’ intentions in supporting the project have been to see the addition of artefacts from the reserve collection to improve the interpretation of the submarine heritage story for visitors from the moment they arrive at the reception desk, and that proper emphasis is given to the fact that there is far more to that story than can be gained from one visit to Alliance … good though that may be! The Friends also fully support that the overall theme should also relate to the modern Royal Navy.
The new graphics are designed to surround visitors in the Welcome Area and indicate all that is available to see around the site and in the galleries. There will also be a “nod to the future” for the NMRN looking forward to possible access to submarine heritage sites such as the Chapel in Blockhouse, the SETT in the ex-Dolphin site as well as maintaining links to Submarine Heritage by encouraging use of submarine and submariner names into the future beyond disposal of the sites by the MoD.
Some more photos (courtesy of our Vice Chairman) to whet your appetite:
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2 comments on “Improvements to the John Fieldhouse Building”
This looks good, hope to visit next year. Would be good to have access to Fort Blockhouse, my last visit was when going through the SETT in 1992.
The whole look is really good and I think the staff like it too. As a Guide, there’s plenty to chat with guests about, which always helps on ‘quieter’ days. The ‘dressing up’ corner is great and I have a photo of one of a party of folk with learning disabilities posing there. In fact he’s in my jacket, which is easier to put on than the submarine sweaters provided – I’ve suggested bringing some jackets out of the store for this. Or maybe you have a surplus jacket you could part with?
I was recently approached to contribute to some story-lines being prepared by a professional. I’ve not seen the product yet, but some sort of quiz to help bring the galleries to life would be great. I have a couple of quizzes I give to family.