Captain Robert Falcon Scott Statue

When a 6.3-magnitude earthquake shook Christchurch on February 22, 2011, the city lost many of its heritage buildings and many heritage bridges and monuments were damaged. Among the casualties was the statue of British Antarctic explorer, Captain Robert Falcon Scott.

When the 2.5-tonne statue fell, it snapped in an uneven break at its weakest point, the ankles. This, and the fragility of marble, presented the conservation and repair team with a significant challenge. The team, including a structural engineer, a conservator and a sculptor, has carried out extensive research to determine an approach that meets best practice for conservation and engineering.