THE Historic Dockyard in Chatham is to become a national museum venue with world-class exhibitions – and the royal.

A £13.4 million project will re-create the Number One Smithery as the National Museums at Chatham with the Prince of wales as patron.

Three of London’s leading museums – the National Maritime Museum at Greenwich, the Science Museum and the Imperial War Museum – are working with the Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust on the project.

The nation’s model ship collection will move to Medway and the museums will work together to create ever-changing displays.

They will tell the story of the dockyard and Naval history through the models, paintings, artefacts and maps.

With about 5,000 ship models dating back to the world’s first – the 1669 model of the St Michael built for Samuel Pepys – there are many stories to be told.

Bill Ferris, chief executive of the dockyard trust and chairman of the project team, said: “This is probably the world’s most important ship model. It is certainly the oldest known.”

He forecast that the project would bring increased tourism with visitors staying to enjoy Rochester, Dickens World, the National Museums at Chatham and places such as Fort Amherst and the Royal Engineers Museum.

Parts of the Smithery will be turned into student areas with the potential for theatre or music events.

The Prince of Wales is becoming patron of the National Museums at Chatham project following his tour of the Historic Dockyard in November, 2004 when he was astonished at the collection of buildings, ships and artefacts.

The Prince let it be known that he would like to take a personal interest in the trust’s work.

When he was asked if he would be patron of the project, he immediately agreed.

Sir Ian Garnett, chairman of the dockyard trust, said the news was a great boost at a critical time. “His interest in the site and this building and project in 2004 helped to inspire the team to bring it to this point,” he said.