Visitors to The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery in Stoke-on-Trent will be able to explore more of the city’s history as additional galleries reopen ahead of the October half-term holidays.

From Saturday 24 October, the museum’s Local History, Archaeology and Staffordshire Hoard: Treasure of Mercia galleries will welcome visitors again, alongside two new displays exploring local folklore and objects from the museum’s collections.

Staffordshire Folklore: Stories, Beliefs and Legends from the Landscape will explore the myths and traditions that have shaped communities across the county, while What’s In Store? offers a rare opportunity to see objects that are not usually on public display.

Although the original Staffordshire Hoard objects will remain off display until redevelopment work is completed next year, visitors can still discover the story of Anglo-Saxon Staffordshire through replica treasures, archaeological finds, examples of weaponry and an immersive mead hall featuring digital characters.

A new learning space will also open, providing a dedicated area for school workshops, family activities and holiday programmes, as well as showcasing creative projects from local schools and community groups.

The reopening coincides with a programme of October half-term activities, including a talk exploring North Staffordshire legends on Saturday 24 October, clay dragon-making workshops from 28 to 30 October, the interactive Dragon’s Realm Live! event on Friday 30 October and a Diwali celebration on Saturday 31 October.

The latest phase marks another milestone in the museum’s £5 million transformation, which has already seen the Spitfire Gallery, Forum Theatre and Violet’s Café reopen earlier this year. The redevelopment is being delivered by Seddon with funding from Arts Council England and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Visitors should enter the museum via the café entrance beside the Spitfire Gallery while work continues.

For further information about the reopening and half-term activities, visit the Stoke-on-Trent City Council website.