The winter months were a busy time for Porthmadog’s Maritime Museum volunteers.

Many of the wall displays have been re-vamped/re-painted and generally tidied.

The artefacts have also been cleaned up and the myriad of corners have been re-arranged in order to give the customers a better insight into life at Porthmadog 200 years ago.

This year, the museum opened its doors to the public at the beginning of April and the volunteers made sure that the doors were open every day of the week from 12pm-4pm. They would like to extend a very warm welcome to people, especially anyone who visited some years ago to see the changes.

The museum, which is of interest to children and adults, takes in items of local nautical and mining interest regularly, and endeavours to include them in the displays.

The dedicated team of volunteers open up, take admission of £2 per head and answer questions. Were it not for them, the museum would close.

At times, when volunteers are on holidays, or attending hospital appointments, the venue struggles. If anyone has an interest in local history, especially concerning the slate trade from Porthmadog harbour, you would be an asset, and also benefit from your service with the museum. For further details, call in any day 12pm-4pm, or email [email protected].

This year the museum has launched six self guiding Heritage Walks, starting from the museum. They go to Porthmadog town, Borth y Gest, Tremadog, Ynys Tywyn Cob Crwn, and Boston Lodge.

The museum will offer customers a waterproof A4 sheet of walking directions with a relevant map on the reverse in return for a small deposit for those, in the hope that they will be returned.

Otherwise you can use your mobile to take a photograph of both sides.

The sheets are available in English or in Welsh.