Big changes are on the horizon at Discovery Point thanks to a half-million pound funding injection from the city council.
A new quayside cafe and education suite, revamped galleries and more corporate entertaining space are all planned for the attraction.
Last week, Dundee Heritage Trust was awarded the £500,000 to refurbish the waterfront attraction over the next few years.
Trust director Mark Munsie said he was delighted the council had shown confidence in the future of Discovery Point.
“We were just awarded half a million pounds from Dundee City Council’s capital works fund for 2017,” he said.
“That will be used for refurbishment of the galleries and to build a dedicated education suite and new cafe on the quayside.
“We want to move the children to give them their own space right next to the ship.
“We can then use the upstairs area where the education suite is now for things like corporate meetings and business events.
“The conference rooms we have upstairs are crucial because they generate income. We would turn the current cafe, which faces away from the Discovery, into a new gallery and build a new cafe on the quayside overlooking the Discovery, the V&A museum and the wider waterfront.”
The money will not be available until 2017, but having it earmarked for Discovery Point gave the trust the chance to create plans and speak with other investors.
“We started this process in 2009, but without the council’s help we couldn’t have gone further,” continued Mr Munsie.
“Now we can. The building here is 20 years old and it doesn’t meet today’s standards.”
Since preparation work began at the site of the new V&A, the RRS Discovery has been in dry dock. Mr Munsie said the ship would not be refloated until after the construction of the V&A.
“Because a number of the buildings have been demolished and construction work is ongoing, the ship needs to sit on blocks in the dry dock to take stress off the mooring lines and protect her from gales,” he said.
“While she is in a dry dock we will take the chance to do some work on her rigging. That is estimated to cost £330,000 over the next two years.
“There will also be some work done to her hull.”