POOLE Museum has become one of the region’s most popular after attracting record crowds in the past year.

The museum in the High Street, near the quay, only re-opened in July 2007 following a long closure and a £1.3m makeover.

In the 12 months to July this year more than 123,000 people have stepped through the new modern glass front entrance of the building to discover what is beyond. Exhibitions pulling people in included the popular History of Scouting display and Poole’s Iron Age logboat on public display for the first time.

“It has been a great first year and credit to everyone who has been involved in refreshing and reopening Poole Museum,” said manager Michael Spender.

“We had a great summer this year too. The number of visitors to the museum and Scaplen’s Court were up 20 per cent compared to last year,” he said.

“We are continuing to introduce new displays and activities with plans under way for a major exhibition of fine art from Easter 2009,” he said.

The exhibition will focus on the important group of artists who worked in Poole in the first half of the 20th century, including Augustus John and Henry Lamb, and will include loans from private and public collections.

Cllr Peter Adams, cabinet portfolio holder for culture and leisure, said: “It’s great to know Poole Museum is proving so popular with residents and tourists who visit our town.

“I am especially pleased that so many children are enjoying their visits to the museum and learning more about Poole’s rich and fascinating history.”