THE re-opening of a museum which was undergoing a five-year project to bring Brightlingsea’s history to life has been delayed by the coronavirus pandemic.

Trustees of Brightlingsea Museum, in Station Road, have announced the museum will not re-open to the public until September as the restoration works were forced to stop.

In the past two years volunteers at the Brightlingsea Museum have been tirelessly planning and preparing new exhibitions in the town’s former police station which had been renovated and extended.

However, the hard work of the volunteers was brought to a halt by the national lockdown.

It not only meant the museum could not open in May as planned but it also interrupted the progress being made to complete the installation of exhibitions.

Margaret Stone, curator and trustee of the museum, said in recent weeks work recommenced as restrictions have been gradually eased, but they had already had quite a drastic effect on progress.

She said: “It is hoped most of the work will be completed in the next six weeks but there are still concerns about opening to the public.

“The museum is completely volunteer-run and many of those probably in the age group especially vulnerable to Covid-19.

“Another major factor to consider is the number of interactive features in the new exhibition, as the project team were keen to give visitors a truly hands-on experience.”

Trustees have decided managed visits for volunteers, Friends of the Museum and sponsors can be arranged during August but the museum will not open to the public until September.

She added: “The team working on this project regrets this delay to the opening of the museum but they feel everyone will understand the health of visitors, the community and volunteers must be their prime concern.”