Tenby Museum and Art Gallery has had a Story of Tenby exhibition for the past 12 years.

In 2011, collections manager Mark Lewis (pictured) was given the task of updating this ex-display space.

This involved redesigning the layout of the gallery, including opening up a room for display which had previously been used for storage, bringing in new display cases, redesigning and rewriting the panels which are now bilingual, creating interactive displays for children, writing and compiling a 10-minute film using images, oral histories and moving image from the museum's collections in an effort to make the gallery more accessible to all visitors.

Mark said: "The work that went in to the original gallery was incredible. It was just felt that it was time to make the presentation more contemporary. It was 10 months of hard work and many sleepless nights, but I believe it was worth the effort. There will always be those who miss the 'old ways', but the museum must continuously move with the times if it is to remain sustainable and I hope that our visitors enjoy this new experience.

"The way that the gallery has been laid out now provides the visitor with a more defined chronological walk through the history of the town. The windows have been exposed, allowing the visitor to enjoy the lovely views from the upper galleries and to see some of the things that they can read about in the texts such as St. Catherine's Island, Lexden Terrace and Caldey.

"I would like to offer my personal thanks to all the staff and volunteers who assisted with the physical work of preparing the fabric of the gallery."

Local companies were sourced to provide the Welsh translations, the showcases (Framework R&D, Carmarthen) and the panels (Heritage Screenprint, Llanelli). Financial assistance was provided by a grant from the Federation of Museums and Art Galleries of Wales, which assisted with payment of the panels and translations and £750 was gifted by Tenby Town Council towards a case for displaying textiles.

The first display in this case is aptly mayoral robes and associated memorabilia and the history of the position of Mayor in the town.

As well as redesigning this gallery, the room adjoining it was also refurbished.

This Temporary Social History Gallery is an extension of the Story of Tenby, detailing aspects of the town that have not been explored in the main gallery.

The first displays in this gallery include the life and work of Tenby-born actor Kenneth Griffith, the histories of Tenby Golf Club, Tenby Cottage Hospital and Greenhill School, local natural history specimens, a fine collection of bosun's calls, the newly-restored sedan chair and a case showing ceramics and glassware from the museum's collections, many of which have not been on show before.

Mark added: "This gallery is designed as a temporary exhibition space with regularly changing displays. It is planned to further involve the community in future exhibitions in this gallery."

The Story of Tenby Gallery receives its official opening tonight (Friday) by Jamie Owen, BBC broadcaster and president of the museum.