THE SCIENCE MUSEUM

Location and Context

In an intricate project at the prestigious Science Museum in South Kensington, our team was tasked with the delicate soft strip-out of the "Food for Thought" Exhibition. This operation also extended to portions of the nearby maritime exhibition, and main reception area involving the removal of significant exhibit components and casings while ensuring minimal impact on the museum's ongoing operations and visitor experience.

Location: The Science Museum, Exhibition Way, South Kensington, London

Scope: Comprehensive strip-out of the food for thought exhibition to facilitate new exhibition. Stripout and removal of martimime exhibition ships wheelhouse and strip out works to front reception out of hours.

Objective: Prepare the building for modernization and installation of new exhibitions, enhancing functionality and aesthetic appeal.

Project Scope

The project encompassed a variety of tasks, each requiring a specialized approach due to the sensitive nature of the environment:

Large Glazing Sheets Removal: Careful dismantling and removal of extensive glazing, integral to the exhibit's structure.
Timber Partitioning and Exhibit Enclosures: Decommissioning and removal of timber structures that formed part of the exhibit's layout.
Floor Finishes Removal: Stripping of floor finishes across the large exhibit area, preparing the space for future refurbishments.
Maritime Exhibition Elements: Dismantling a large ship's wheelhouse, a notable piece within the adjacent maritime exhibition, along with the removal of miscellaneous items such as general rubbish, furniture, and office equipment.

Environmental and Operational Considerations

Given the museum's cultural significance and the need to maintain a pristine environment, several critical measures were implemented:

Dust Control: Implementing stringent dust reduction techniques during strip-out and deconstruction to protect the museum's collections and visitor areas.
Work Area Isolation: Sealing off the work area to prevent dust and debris from affecting adjacent spaces, ensuring the museum's cleanliness and air quality.
Night-Time Operations: Conducting all works at night to facilitate safe debris transport through public areas without disrupting museum operations or visitor experiences. This approach also addressed noise constraints during the museum's opening hours.

Main Entrance Lobby Soft Strip

A particularly sensitive phase of the project involved the soft strip of partitioning in the main entrance lobby:

Out-of-Hours Work: All works in this high-traffic area were meticulously planned and executed outside of museum hours to ensure no disruption to daily operations.
Post-Work Cleanliness: Each night, following the completion of work, the area was thoroughly cleaned and restored to its original condition, ready to welcome visitors the next morning.

Conclusion

This soft strip-out project at the Science Museum in South Kensington exemplified our commitment to precision, environmental care, and minimal operational disruption in culturally significant settings. Through careful planning, night-time operations, and stringent dust control measures, we ensured the museum's exhibits and visitor experiences remained undisturbed, paving the way for future exhibition updates and enhancements.