Chelmsford museum reopens today

20 July 2019, 07:59 | Updated: 20 July 2019, 08:05

After a £2m transformation, Chelmsford Museum reopens today.

The previously tired Victorian Grade II listed house has had a complete makeover.

The new exhibition spaces are filled with interactive displays, immersive video installations and atmospheric audio to bring the story of the city and the wider region to life.

Residents will be able to track in detail how their own streets have changed from the late 16th century to the present day using the latest digital technology and gain new insights into some of the rich history on their doorstep.

The secrets of the 'Broomfield Burial', a collection of precious Anglo-Saxon artefacts found in a burial chamber in the north of the city, will be revealed after lying in storage at the British Museum for much of the last century.

Museum manager Dave Finkle wants to rekindle interest in Chelmsford's part in this fascinating era:

"Thanks to the hard work of our curatorial team, these remarkable early 7th century pieces can come back to Chelmsford where their story can be told in a relevant and compelling way."

A number of other significant objects will also be shown for the first time.

These include the Little Baddow diadem, one of the earliest pieces of gold to have made its way to Essex, which will take pride of place in the 'First Settlers' room. The delicate gold strip was found by a metal detectorist in 2016 and will be displayed with a replica of what it would have looked like around 4,500 years ago.

Chelmsford Museum reopens at 10am