HMS Victory masts to be removed in conservation project
The move is part of the latest phase of a ten-year £42m project, dubbed The Big Repair.
www.bbc.comHere’s the latest I can share about HMS Victory and related Royal Navy Museums, based on recent public updates.
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What’s new: The National Museum of the Royal Navy’s ongoing “The Big Repair” conservation project for HMS Victory entered a significant phase in 2026. Reports note that full-height scaffolding is being installed around the vessel, and for the first time in Victory’s 260-year history, visitors will be able to see deeper into her inner workings through new viewing platforms. This marks one of the most dramatic public-facing stages of the restoration to date.[1][2]
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Mast removal as a milestone: In April 2026, it was announced that Victory’s masts would be removed to facilitate the conservation work, a step described as a historic moment since the early 1890s when Victory last operated without all her masts. The operation is planned to be executed overnight with specialist equipment, enabling full scaffolding work to proceed. The removal signals deeper access for visitors to comprehend the ship’s construction and repair history.[7][8]
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Museum experience during restoration: Victory Live: The Big Repair provides a viewing experience on the surrounding scaffolds where conservators work on the ship. This is complemented by new displays intended to explain the layers of the ship and the repair process, along with demonstrations of traditional shipbuilding skills.[2]
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Where to visit: HMS Victory is housed at the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, managed in collaboration with the National Museum of the Royal Navy. The site also features other historic ships and related exhibitions, highlighting Victory’s role as both a commissioned naval vessel and a museum exhibit.[6]
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Context for significance: Victory remains the world’s oldest commissioned warship and a flagship in Royal Navy history, serving as both a functional vessel and a living museum. The current conservation work underscores a broader decade-long, multi-million-pound effort to preserve this iconic ship for future generations.[9][7]
Illustration (conceptual): A visualization of the ongoing scaffolding around Victory with two new stern viewing platforms, allowing visitors to peer into areas previously inaccessible since the ship’s construction. This aligns with the conservation milestones announced in early 2026.[1]
If you’d like, I can pull in more detailed, dated updates or provide a timeline of key milestones from 2025–2026 based on official museum announcements and reputable press coverage. Sources: National Museum of the Royal Navy pages and BBC coverage of the mast removal and The Big Repair project.[2][7]