MAJOR improvements to a New Forest museum received the royal seal of approval this week.

The new-look St Barbe Museum and Art Gallery in New Street, Lymington, was officially opened by the Earl of Wessex, a long-standing supporter of the arts on Thursday (28.9).

The 53-year-old royal was given a tour of the former school before unveiling a plaque and signing the visitors' book.

St Barbe re-opened in July following a £2.3m raft of improvements that included better galleries, a new cafe and a "wavy wall" facade that has transformed the building's appearance.

The Earl spent less than an hour at the museum before leaving for an engagement on the Isle of Wight.

During his visit he chatted to staff, met some of the museum's longest serving volunteers and was shown a scrapbook full of articles about the Queen.

He said: "I didn't see St Barbe before the transformation but everyone tells me it has made a fantastic difference."

The Earl also referred to frequent visits to the Royal Lymington Yacht Club by the Princess Royal, a keen sailor.

He said: "It's a great pleasure to get to Lymington. Before the only person I knew who comes here is my sister. It will be quite nice to get my name somewhere in the town."

Since re-opening, the new facilities have been visited by 15,000 people.

The multi-million pound project was made possible after the museum was awarded a Heritage Lottery Fund grant.

A sum to the tune of £525,000 was raised with the support of many trusts, local organisations, businesses and individuals.

The museum includes the rare collection of third century Roman coins which have been dubbed The Boldre Hoard.

Chairman of Trustees for St Barbe Museum, David Rule, said: “St Barbe can claim to be a cultural beacon for Lymington and the New Forest coast.

“We place public engagement at the heart of everything we do. We aim to be a magnet drawing people in to learn and enjoy the rewards of recording and narrating local history and relating it to their own lives."