Shimrath Paul was appointed Director in 1995, after joining the team in 1990 to set up the Museum's interactive science centre (Discovery World). Paul oversaw a comprehensive multi- stage redevelopment, which, along with a renewed focus on visitor experience, transformed the Museum into a hub for the local community and a world-class visitor attraction. The redevelopment also addressed collection storage, which now reflects international best practice. Under Paul's leadership, the Museum's Tropical Forest, a three-level indoor butterfly rainforest experience, was also completed in 2007. During Paul's tenure, visitor numbers increased from around 250,000 per annum, peaking at over 600,000. In 2012, Paul resigned after ongoing controversy over his level of pay and staff morale.