After a £1.9 million make-over the Museum of Wigan Life (formerly known as the History Shop) re-opens to the public on 9 April 2010. The new displays feature displays and artefacts interpreting the people and places that make up the Wigan Borough.

The museum also re-opens with a new temporary exhibition gallery. The first exhibition is 'Revealing Roman Routes'. Produced in association with the Wigan Archaeological Society, it tells us of Wigan's Roman heritage and the work of the Society to find it.

New Roman Gallery at Lancaster City Museum

A new Roman gallery and exhibition will be unveiled to the public on Saturday 4 April 2009 at Lancaster City Museum. The gallery has been developed and revitalised thanks to a £5000 grant from Renaissance North West, a national scheme to transform England's regional museums, to support the museum's star attraction – an iconic Roman cavalry tombstone.

The tombstone, dating back to about AD 100,  was discovered in Lancaster in November 2005 during an excavation in Aldcliffe Road by the University of Manchester Archaeology Unit. Specialist staff at Lancashire County Council’s conservation studio in Preston worked to fully restore the tombstone so that it could take pride of place on permanent display at Lancaster City Museum last year.

The new gallery will feature information and artefacts depicting Roman life in Lancaster such as jewellery, clothing and domestic utensils, a dressing-up corner for children where they can try on traditional Roman costume, and a range of family-friendly activities to get involved in.

Keys to the castle:
Museum Service prepares to open Clitheroe Castle Museum

Lancashire County Council accepted the keys to the newly developed museum at the heart of the Clitheroe Castle Heritage Scheme on 21 April.

The museum, to be run by the council's Museum Service, will offer visitors an insight into the history of the ancient market town of Clitheroe and its position within the landscape of the Ribble Valley. It is the result of a successful partnership between the county council and Ribble Valley Borough Council.

The museum will open on Saturday 23 May after a £3.5m refurbishment and features interactive galleries, exhibition space, a new glass atrium that houses a café and souvenir shop, disabled facilities and a modern learning area.

Rachel Jackson, the museum's new site manager says the attraction has been inspired by 350 million years of history. 'Visitors will be able to trace the stories of Clitheroe's famous heroes and past visitors from Tolkien to Turner. They can also discover the amazing history behind our beautiful landscape. It's a real gem'.