A NEW exhibition in Chippenham will take visitors back in time and revisit a series of events which helped inspire the town’s population.

The Festival of Britain exhibition is being held at Chippenham Museum and Heritage Centre until March 2017.

The idea of the festival, which was held in 1951, was to encourage towns and villages across Britain to hold events to inspire the country’s population following the aftermath of the Second World War.

The Festival of Britain was meant as a national celebration of science, technology, art, architecture and design, and was a mix of innovation and tradition, promoting high points from the past, the best of current thinking and prophecies for the future.

Pictures and information will be displayed during the exhibition, which opened last week. Entry is free.

Alan Fuller, assistant curator at Chippenham Museum and Heritage Centre, who created the exhibition, said: “It was quite amazing, they held a giant pageant in Monkton Park, an art exhibition, an exhibition of businesses and lots of sport events.

“It was an attempt to revive the country and bring the country together again. It did boost morale and did boost trade and industry.”

Curator at Chippenham Museum and Heritage Centre, Melissa Barnett, said: “Sixty-five years on, this exhibition explores some of the Festival of Britain events held in the town.

“We hope it will bring back memories of the day, start discussions now and spark celebrations to come. It’s time to reignite the festival spirit.”