Lawrence House Museum, Launceston opened its doors to the public on Monday having improved and added to their fascinating local history displays.

Launceston's town councillors had a sneak preview of all the marvellous work done at the museum last Friday evening.

A rare six volume Herbarium of over 1,000 pressed plants collected by William Wise, a former Mayor of Launceston, between 1880 and 1920 sits in Room 5. A page is turned every week to ­display a different plant.

In the same room is a display about John Couch Adams, the discoverer of the planet Neptune. The museum has been loaned a portrait of Coach Adams created by Victorian artist Hubert Herkomer. The portrait has been lent to the museum for three years by the National Portrait Gallery.

Downstairs in the Garden Room are five displays which are either new or have been renewed. There is a display on the Rowe Dispensary and the medical situation in Launceston before the opening of the new ­hospital in 1939.

There are also displays on Hicks and Sons, Launceston photographer Brimmel, banking in Launceston and the old workhouse.

Jake Jackson, who became curator of the museum last year, said they had recently bought a "very good collection" of coins and a coin cabinet which will be situated in the 'Exhibition Room', which has been redecorated and carpeted.

Currently on display are items inherited by the museum from the late celebrated Launceston poet Charles Causley's will, including pictures and his desk and chair. They have also acquired a beautiful bust of the Launceston poet and 40 pieces of Staffordshire pottery, as well as his Gold Medal for poetry and CBE. This exhibition will run until the end of the month.

Mr Jackson said the museum had been offered "a most beautiful model of Launceston Railway Station" made by Brian Tunbridge. The late Mr Tunbridge had spent 20 years making the model, said Mr Jackson.

The agricultural room and Victorian kitchen have been much improved. Visitors to the museum are now allowed to wander around the kitchen which includes objects and equipment that would have been commonplace in that era, including an original range and mangle.

In the Launceston room, the museum has on display a reproduction English Civil War uniform which had belonged to the late Colin Letts, a member of the Sealed Knot. His wife gave the museum the ­uniform along with her feast dress which is also on display.

The toy room, one of the rooms used for educating local children's groups, illustrates the development of toys over the past 150 years and includes a Victorian dolls house.

Lawrence House also boasts a wonderful collection of costumes from the Victorian era to the 1960's.

In May the museum will be hosting a 'Global Gardeners' exhibition and in June watercolours by local artist Otho Peter will be going up.

In the autumn the museum have invited students from Launceston College to put on a display.

The museum is open Monday to Friday from 10.30am to 4.30pm.