A museum is celebrating its 60th anniversary tomorrow (Saturday).

Stevenage Museum is inviting members of the public to visit its diamond year celebration between 12pm-4pm.

The town’s current mayor, Sherma Batson, will cut a birthday cake as part of the event at 2pm.

Cllr howard Burrell, Stevenage Borough Council’s executive member for culture, sport and leisure, said: “Back in 1954, Stevenage was the first new town to open a museum, which was prompted by local residents’ concern about preserving items, in particular Roman artefacts, which had been found during the building of the New Town. Over the last 60 years, the museum has gone from strength to strength. It now boasts an ever growing collection of more than 15,000 objects and 20,000 photographs which chart the geology, archaeology and social history of Stevenage through the ages, as well as the local industry that thrived in the area. The exhibition is brought to life with interactive activities, sound recordings and film footage.

“It’s a real treasure trove, right on our doorstep, that also offers an active programme of events and changing exhibitions, workshops for schools, artefact handling sessions and talks for all ages, as well as a tracing service, room hire and children’s birthday parties with a historical twist.”

The museum, in the undercroft of the Church of St Andrew and St George, is open Wednesday to Friday 10am to 4.30pm and Saturday 10am to 5pm. For more information about this and future events visit www.stevenage.gov.uk/about-stevenage/museum or call 01438 218881.