A �300m luxury liner being built by Cunard will feature a museum, a three-deck theatre and an art gallery. Bosses at the company revealed the details of the Queen Victoria, which will be based in Southampton, as building work began in Italy.
The 16-deck vessel will join the QE2 and Queen Mary 2 in December 2007 to become Cunard's third working liner.
The Queen Victoria, a 90,000-tonne super cruiser, will be able to carry more than 2,000 passengers.
 | Queen Victoria - the facts 13,000lbs (6,000kg) of smoked salmon will be served per year 352,000 bottles of champagne and wine will be drunk each year Passengers will get through more than a million teabags annually The ship can reach speeds of more than 23 knots It will have three anchors weighing 11 tonnes each The ship's four lifts can carry 18 people each |
Passengers can learn about Cunard's 167-year history in the on-board museum, which will house artefacts and memorabilia.
Meanwhile, a 6,000-book library will boast stained glass windows, leather sofas and a spiral staircase.
The liner is being built at the Fincantieri shipyard near Venice.
It is due to set off on its maiden voyage, a 10-night tour of northern Europe, on 11 December 2007.
Carol Marlow, Cunard president, said: "Cunard has the unique distinction of owning the most famous ocean liners in the world, and I'm delighted to be able to announce this magnificent addition to our fleet."
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