The National Museum’s roofs received a severe battering during Hurricane Gonzalo, but exhibits and artefacts escaped largely unscathed.

The Category 3 hurricane ripped large sections of the roof off Commissioner’s House as winds in excess of 120mph hit one of the Island’s most exposed spots.

But Dr Edward Harris, director of the National Museum, said the building’s collection of historic gems had not been damaged.

He praised staff and volunteers who worked tirelessly to prevent further damage to the Museum in the aftermath of the storm.

“The staff, volunteers, and professional groups sprang to the occasion and much further damage has been avoided,” Dr Harris said. “I was quite amazed by how everyone pulled together.

“We have protocols in place to ensure that exhibits and artefacts remain protected during a hurricane and they have worked well.

“The initial damage to the roofs was caused during Fay and then it was made even worse by Gonzalo.

“They have sustained some serious damage and it could be several months before all the repair work is completed.”

The Commissioner’s House was built in the 1820s and several adjacent buildings also affected by the storm date back to the 1940s.

Restoration work on the roofs is expected to begin as soon as materials for the work are received on the Island.

In the meantime contractors have made the damaged parts of the roofs secure to prevent rainwater getting into the buildings.

“The Trustees of the Museum would like to thank Kitson Insurance Services, Pro-Tone Cleaning, Correia Construction, Kaissa Roofing and everyone who helped the Museum in the aftermath of Fay and Gonzalo last week to take all necessary steps to preserve the heritage of the historic buildings of the National Museum, as well as our irreplaceable collections of Bermudiana and other historical objects and materials,” Dr Harris said.

The National Museum will be open today but only to the Lower Grounds.

There will be a special admission rate of $8 but additional donations can be made to the Museum’s Hurricane Relief fund.