Denbigh Museum will open for the first time this year with an exhibition in conjunction with Denbigh Community Archive Group, showing a wide variety of items of significant interest to the town and surrounding areas.

The Museum had been closed during the winter to manage heating costs and while setting up the new exhibition.

Displays include miscellanea related to Denbigh-born Thomas Gee, celebrated preacher and publisher of nineteenth-century Welsh language newspapers; a sketch of the former North Wales Hospital by a patient in 1989, a timeline of the development of the site and how medical procedure changed over the years; and items from the Trefnant Toy Industry, a community enterprise that provided employment for men during WWI, considered a “significant collection” by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Also on view is a model of Denbigh based on John Speed's map of the town in 1610 and the Clwydian Range Archaeological Group's (CRAG) exhibition of their excavations in the Clwydian Range.

Gwyneth Kensler, chair of the Denbigh Museum Board, said: “Museums play an important part in the tourist economy but also amongst local people in raising awareness of the heritage of the town of Denbigh and surrounding areas.”

Denbigh Museum has a number of displays planned for the coming months, including a model of Denbigh Railway Station, and a temporary exhibition on Tom Pryce, the Formula One driver from Ruthin who tragically died during the 1977 South African Grand Prix.

Ms Kensler added: “We have many exciting exhibitions ahead and we’re looking forward to engaging with the public.”

Denbigh Museum will open to the public on April 21-22, from 11am-4pm, and then every Monday and Thursday afternoon from 2pm-4pm.

The sixth Annual General Meeting of Denbigh Museum will also be held on Wednesday May 2 at Denbigh Museum, Grove Road at 7pm, with all the public welcome.

For further information on the exhibition or AGM, contact Gwyneth Kensler on 01745 814323 or gwynethk@hotmail.com, or follow Denbigh Museum and the Denbigh Community Archive on their separate Facebook pages.