Transforming Hull Maritime Museum Through Large-Format Print and Installation
The Brief
Hull Maritime Museum is a major cultural attraction celebrating more than 800 years of the city’s maritime history. Housed in the Grade II* listed former Dock Offices, the museum underwent a £20.4 million transformation to preserve its historic character while creating new galleries, exhibitions and visitor experiences.
Leach was appointed by Marcon Fit Out, the fit-out contractor working with Hull City Council, to support the refurbishment through its established partnership with the team. Having worked together on previous projects, Leach was selected to deliver the artwork, production and installation of graphics across three floors of the museum.
The project was delivered over approximately one year, with the refurbishment progressing in phases from the second floor to the first and ground floors. Leach’s brief involved producing around 500 graphics to support the museum’s updated displays and interpretation.
The Solution
Working alongside Marcon and Haley Sharpe Design, Leach provided a specialist artwork, production and installation package, helping bring the museum’s refreshed interiors to life.
The project involved preparing supplied imagery for production and translating the approved designs into finished graphics for installation throughout the museum. We delivered:
- 10 wallpapers
- 100 printed vinyls, wrapped to 1mm aluminium, bonded to spraypainted MDF
- 70 printed vinyls, wrapped to 3mm Dibond
With the wider museum redevelopment spanning several years, coordinating the artwork and production requirements was a key consideration. Bringing together the necessary assets, ensuring the correct imagery was available and aligning production with the phased fit-out required careful coordination between the teams.
Leach’s existing relationship with the project team helped support a smooth delivery process. Clear communication and collaboration with the designer enabled the graphics to progress through artwork and production with minimal deviations from the agreed plans.
Across the three floors, Leach produced and installed approximately 500 graphics, working alongside Marcon, HSD, Aivaf and the Museum team whilst other objects were being installed – the large whale skeleton and Erik the Polar Bear!
The project demonstrates Leach’s ability to support complex heritage and visitor attraction environments, combining large-format print expertise with artwork preparation, production and installation to meet the requirements of a wider refurbishment programme.
The Results
Hull Maritime Museum reopened to the public on 8th August 2026, revealing restored historic spaces, 28 new galleries and immersive exhibitions exploring the city’s connections with trade, migration, fishing, whaling and Arctic exploration.
The museum welcomed more than 50,000 visitors during its first month, achieving a quarter of its annual visitor target. The refurbishment was also named Refurbishment/Renovation of the Year at the Insider Yorkshire Property Awards 2026.
Leach’s contribution formed part of the wider transformation, helping deliver the graphics required for the museum’s renewed exhibition spaces while supporting the project team through a phased programme of artwork, production and installation.
The work also builds on Leach’s established experience in the museums and visitor attractions sector, where detailed artwork, dependable production and coordinated installation are essential to delivering engaging environments for the public.
Bringing the Project to Life
From local heritage attractions to major international destinations, we work with contractors and designers to deliver bespoke large-format graphics for museums, exhibitions and visitor experiences.
If you have a museum renovation project coming up with require specialist large format print support, get in touch with our experts today.
