A new and permanent exhibition depicting the history of the Royal Marines at the Deal Barracks will be on show when Deal Maritime and Local History Museum opens for the season on Good Friday.

Focusing on the School of Music, the PT instructors, Commandos, Wrens, nurses and other women associated with the barracks, the exhibition will also feature the fun of the Sergeants’ Mess Panto and Christmas festivities.

Along with display boards, artefacts and uniforms, screens will also relay old Royal Marines films. Reminiscences from barracks personnel and local people, recorded by museum volunteers over the last two years, will be available via an old dial-up telephone.

Other changes made to the St George's Road museum during the winter break include refurbishment of the popular Dunkirk display.

This is now in the main gallery with Tender Too, one of the ‘little ships’ that helped in the rescue of men from the beaches at Dunkirk during the Second World War. A new display on smuggling, the Goodwin Sands and Deal’s piers has also been created.

A Kent Coalfield exhibition, old Deal High Street maps, a First World War trench scene, Model Boat Room and the Saxon King, the last Deal galley remaining in the town, are just some of the other many maritime and local exhibits on display.

For people with limited mobility, a new tablet computer is available on the ground floor and depicts the key displays upstairs.

Families are welcome and there is a free pirate hat and quiz for youngsters and several interactive quizzes.

A series of talks and fundraising events, including a quiz night, have been organised. James Frost will give the first talk of the season on The Kentish Hooden Horse and Folk Drama on Friday, May 11 at St Andrew’s Church Hall in West Street, Deal at 7pm.

Ticket details and further information on the museum is available on http://www.dealmuseum.co.uk or email museum@dealmuseum.co.uk.

BLOB Deal Maritime and Local History Museum, 22 St George’s Road, Deal CT14 6BA, is open Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Monday 12noon – 4pm, Easter Saturday 11am-4.30pm. April, May, September, October: Tuesday–Friday 2pm-4.30pm, Saturdays 11am–4.30pm and from 12noon-4pm on Sundays. June, July and August: Tuesday - Saturday 11am – 4.30pm, Sundays 12noon-4pm.