With rehearsals well under way for the town’s Panto Group’s production of Aladdin in January, Brightlingsea Museum has a new exhibition marking more than 40 years of local shows.

The exhibition features a colourful exhibition of costumes, memorabilia and photographs from pantomime productions put on by the group, which was formed by members of the junior school PTA, since 1978.

The 2023 production is the group’s first in three years, as the pandemic prevented them treading the boards in 2021 and 2022.

And with Christmas nearly upon us, the museum’s front window has lots of toys that will have been included in Santa’s deliveries over the decades and will probably provoke much nostalgia of Christmas mornings in the past.

The museum is open every Saturday from 10–4pm and Sunday from 2–5pm until Christmas and will also be open for the late night shopping event on Friday December 2 from 3–8pm.

There are all the usual exhibitions and interactives and there is no admission charge – although donations are always warmly welcomed.