Celebrating the seaside

12 March 2010

Museum volunteer Roger Vercoe.

PAINTINGS, postcards and seaside photographs have gone on display to celebrate 200 years of tourism in Weston.

North Somerset Museum is hosting the Holiday Albums exhibition to give visitors a unique look into one of Britain's best-loved traditions - the seaside break.

Stefan and Catherine Shotton with their children Harry, Natalie, Jodie and Milly.

The exhibition is now showing at the Burlington Street venue and is part of the Weston 200 celebrations that will be going on throughout the year.

Museum manager Nick Goff said: "The museum has many fascinating objects related to tourism, which is one of our strengths.

"The 200th anniversary of tourism in the area is an ideal opportunity to show off some of the wide range of images we hold.

"We are particularly grateful to the Friends of the Museum. They paid for special framing to highlight and protect some of the unique pieces on display."

The images on show include a 1840s watercolour of the town's first railway station, the beach in Victorian times, picture postcards, advertising posters and evocative 1950s photos.

"Holiday Albums" will be on show at North Somerset Museum until the end of October.