FRENCHAY Village Museum is proud to announce that they have now welcomed 30,000 visitors.

The museum was opened in April 2000 by the Frenchay Tuckett Society to inform the public about the history of the village.

Their 30,000th visitor was Brigid Benson, from Barkley’s Hill in Stapleton, who arrived with two friends from Montpellier in France.

They were given a special welcome and enjoyed viewing artefacts dating as far back as 1770 – such as paintings, Egyptian remains, mountaineering equipment, and Bristol porcelain.

They were pictured in front of a case of 50 international medals which were awarded to Bristol Chocolate manufacturers, JS Fry and Sons, in the 19th century in recognition of the success of their chocolate business.

The museum’s curator Alan Freke said: “Many of the medals are from France, such as from the Exposition Universelle Marseille 1896, the Exposition Toulon 1897, the Exposition Lyons 1898, and the Exposition Internationale Paris 1897, but sadly there are none from Montpellier.”

The museum is open Saturdays and Sundays from 2-5pm and Wednesdays from 1-4pm. Entry is free. It closes for Christmas on November 30, and reopens with a new display on January 7.

For more information, visit frenchaymuseumarchives.co.uk.