The Last Rotation: Farewell to the Waterfront’s Paternosters

This month, one of the National Waterfront Museum’s largest displays is being dismantled, preparing the ground for our upcoming redevelopment.

These are our three ‘paternosters’ – continuously revolving elevators which reach almost ceiling height. Historically, paternoster lifts were used in buildings for people to step in and out to any floor they wished. Our museum paternosters allowed an extended display of exciting objects for visitors standing at floor level, triggering video interpretation as each case reached the front of the structure.

With revolving cogs, chains and the sounds of creaking metal, the Waterfront paternosters’ design echoed the industrial roots of the surrounding landscape and the museum’s thematic focus. Packed with examples of manufactured metals made in Wales, and internationally using Welsh metals, they are grouped under the categories ‘iron and steel, ‘non-ferrous’ and ‘coatings’. 

The display celebrated the skills of Welsh metalworkers whilst highlighting the impact of these industries on the wider world.

Planning the National Waterfront Museum in the early 2000s gave designers an opportunity to introduce modern and innovative methods of display. Just one other museum in the world uses the technique – the Audi Museum in Ingolstadt, Germany. 

What’s next for the paternosters?

Unfortunately, wear and tear on the components and the high cost of repairs meant the paternosters were unable to work as intended and visitors could not engage with the display, so the difficult decision was made to remove them. 

However, it is hoped that this is the first step towards a revamped gallery and a better offer for our visitors.

In the meantime, our curators are working on a redisplay with fresh, contemporary interpretation, allowing visitors to experience the objects in a new way. By the end of the year, we hope to use the space for a long-term display showcasing the inextricable links between Welsh industry and our maritime heritage – watch this space!