The British Museum, First Emperor Exhibition

Value: £1,700,000
Duration: 11 weeks
Architect: Purcell
Quantity Surveyor: Baker Mallett

Coniston built the new exhibition space for the First Emperor Exhibition. This project involved creating an area for the Terracotta Warriors to be displayed for the first time in the UK. A temporary area was created in the Round Reading Room in the very centre of the museum inside the Great Court.

In order to minimise the disruption to the exhibits stored in the Reading Room, the staging for the Warriors was created above the existing floor space. This allowed the furniture and exhibits to remain in the Reading Room having been encased in specially crafted boxes in order to protect them. A temporary staging and staircase was erected to allow public access to the Warriors. Air conditioning ducts were built into the underfloor structure to ensure the room is kept at the right temperature and humidity to protect the Warriors whilst they are on display. The construction of the staging involved the use of 35 tonnes of steelwork, all of which had to be brought into the museum through a single set of doors, through the Great Court itself in order to reach the Round Reading Room. This was required to be undertaken outside of the museum opening hours to ensure minimal disruption to the museum visitors and staff.