A market town museum whose exhibits range from the treasures of the pharaohs' tombs to a unique collection of dolls is hoping a new brochure will give its visitor numbers a huge boost in the coming months.

A market town museum whose exhibits range from the treasures of the pharaohs' tombs to a unique collection of dolls is hoping a new brochure will give its visitor numbers a huge boost in the coming months.

After its annual winter closure Swaffham Museum will once again open its doors to the public again on March 28.

With revamped collections, new exhibitions and Egyptian artefacts on loan from the British Museum, volunteers are sure more people than ever before will be interested in what's on offer.

But just to make sure, and thanks to a grant from the Renaissance Museum Development Fund, the museum has now launched a new brochure which will be seen county wide..

Over the coming weeks 10,000 copies will be distributed to tourist information centres and other outlets across Norfolk in a bid to attract people more people from outside the museum's immediate catchment area.

David Wickerson, museum company secretary said he hoped the brochure would show more people what was at the museum to be discovered.

He said: 'This year we are trying to get a much broader base of visitors and we are trying to get more people from other areas in.

'The grant has also helped pay for separate leaflets to accompany our schools programme and family and local history activities.'

With volunteers working hard to make sure everything is in place for the grand opening the museum is currently buzzing with activity and excitement.

Details are being finalised on a deal with the British Museum which will see up to 18 objects from the tomb of Tutankhamen loaned to Swaffham.

The items are currently in storage in London and with the finder of the pharaoh's tomb, Howard Carter, having been brought up in Swaffham, Mr Wickerson said it would be ideal for the items to take pride of place in the museum's Egyptian section.

This year the museum's special exhibition is called Memories of Swaffham's War. It features recollections of those who lived in Norfolk in the early 1940s as well as exhibits of items from the time.

The museum gift shop has also been given a makeover and now features the work of local artists which can be bought

There will be a fun day of activities for all the family when the museum opens its doors again on March 28 at 10am.

THE Friends of Swaffham Museum will hold their annual meetingat 7.30pm on Wednesday at Assembly Rooms in Market Place.