THE meticulous restoration of a famous mechanical swan has won an award.

The £34,000 restoration of the Silver Swan, at the Bowes Museum, in Barnard Castle, has been recognised in the 2009 Museums and Heritage Awards for Excellence, announced at Church House in Westminster, London.

The Bowes Museum was the joint winner of the Restoration and Conservation Award for its work in conserving the musical automaton in full view of the public.

Following a champagne reception and dinner, the awards ceremony was hosted by broadcaster and journalist, Simon Calder, who announced the winners in each of the twelve categories.

Jane Whittaker, the museum’s Principal Keeper, attended the ceremony and picked up the award.

“We were thrilled when we heard the project had been shortlisted in this category, but to win is a marvellous acknowledgment of the talented team who worked on it,” she said.

York-based clock maker Matthew Read was specially commissioned by the museum to dismantle, clean and record the Swan, and to put all 6,000 pieces back together again over a three-month period in autumn last year.

Mr Read and his assistant, conservator Karen Barker, spent ten weeks undertaking the daunting task as the public looked on.

The Swan conservation project was funded by the Friends of The Bowes Museum, The Goldsmiths’ Company, The Schroder Charity Trust, the Heritage Lottery Fund and PRISM Grant Fund.