Mary Rose Museum In Visitor Milestone

8 October 2013, 11:53 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

The new 27 million pound Mary Rose Museum at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard's welcomed

it's 250-thousandth visitor after opening at the start of May.

It brought the Tudor warship, which sank in the Solent, together with thousands of its artefacts for the first time. 

Rear Admiral John Lippiett, chief executive of The Mary Rose Trust, said: 

''To achieve our 250,000th visitor in such a short time far exceeds all our expectations. 

''We are thrilled both with the record numbers and with the overwhelming response, which reflects the excitement that the new exhibition is generating. 

''Not only have we welcomed visitors from our immediate area and across the UK, but also a considerable number from right across the world.''

The news comes three days before the museum, based at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard in Hampshire, marks the 31st anniversary of the raising of the Mary Rose on October 11 1982. 

More than 600 volunteer divers and many more volunteers on shore helped with the work as the ship was excavated and recorded, and decks, cabins, and bulkheads were surveyed and brought to the surface timber by timber. 

In total more than 25,000 finds were recovered and almost 28,000 dives were carried out.