NORTH Berwick’s Coastal Communities Museum has reopened its doors to the public for the first time in more than a year.

Similar to other venues, it closed last year due to coronavirus but decided to remain closed for the rest of the season.

But now the museum’s board and volunteers have welcomed back visitors for the first time on Saturday.

The museum on School Road will be open 11am-4pm every Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and also on bank holidays, throughout the summer.

A limited number of visitors are allowed at any one time, with a booking system now in place. Bookings can be made by calling 07859 460943 or emailing book ings@coastalmuseum.org

And one of the new exhibits touches on the Covid pandemic.

It is a special cover quilt produced by the Law Quilters, commemorating the town’s community response to the pandemic.

Produced during the resilience effort last year, the lockdown memory quilt was produced by the group’s 40 members and consists of a number of different images to commemorate the community response to the pandemic...including the panic buying of toilet roll!

The group, founded in 1988, also made quilts for hospitals, hospices and women’s refuges, as well as linus quilts for children, cushions for mastectomy patients, face coverings and quilts for incubators.

Alongside the quilt will be last year’s exhibition.

Last year was the Year of Coasts and Waters, which was extended into this year due to the pandemic.

Called ‘Wish You Were Here’, the exhibition focuses on seaside postcards, particularly those by local artist R P Phillimore.

The exhibition also explores the history of North Berwick.

The museum is run by volunteers in partnership with East Lothian Council.