BRAINTREE Museum has re-launched the new and improved gift shop to help draw in the crowds this Christmas.

The shop officially re-launched during this year’s Christmas light switch on in Braintree on November 19 and more than 300 visitors came through the doors on its opening day.

Over the festive period the shop has been hosting Christmas late night shopping events and will continue to stock gifts for all the family until December 25.

Marketing and retail officer for the museum, Polly Redman, has been working to create a unique gift shop which combines both mementoes of visits to the museum as well as hard to find treats for shoppers.

The shop has received a fresh lick of chalkboard paint to tie it in with the Manor Street school building next door and a lot of the new stock relates to stories that are housed in the museum.

It is well stocked with stocking fillers this festive season as well.

Polly said: “Forthcoming products being developed include Braintree Museum mugs, tea towels, tote bags and more inspired by the Collections, so stay tuned.”

The shop is free of charge and it is hoped that it will encourage more people to come in and explore the delights of the museum.

The Postcards, Posters and Porcelain exhibition, which draws together the collection of local historian John Adlam is still on display and runs until January.

Over the festive period the museum has played host to a series of events such as wreath making workshops and talks on Victorian Christmas crafts

On December 20, 21, 22 and 23 between 11am and 1pm parents can drop their children at a special craft session at the museum before running into town to complete some last minute Christmas shopping.

John McKee, Chairman of Braintree District Museum Trust, said “We are delighted with the visitors to the newly refurbished Shop and our current exhibition ‘Postcards, Posters and Porcelain’.

"We look forward to new retail products and an exciting exhibition programme in 2017”.

For more information about the museum, visit: www.braintreemuseum.co.uk.

You can also call the museum on 01376 325266.