A MUSEUM is set to have a royal visitor.

The Bowes Museum, in Barnard Castle, will welcome Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra today.

Members of 4th Barnard Castle Brownies and local dignitaries including High Sheriff and museum trustee Caroline Peacock will welcome the princess before she takes a tour of the museum’s galleries, including those dedicated to founders John and Joséphine Bowes, fashion and textiles, ceramics and paintings.

She will also be given a brief introduction to an important new acquisition, St Luke Drawing the Virgin and Child, by Dutch artist Dieric Bouts, and the museum’s 15th Century Flemish altarpiece, conserved as a result of donations to an online crowd-funding campaign which brought in £21,163 from donors in just 60 days.

The princess will then view a performance of the iconic Silver Swan musical automaton and unveil a plaque to mark her visit.

Museum director, Adrian Jenkins,said: “We are delighted to welcome Her Royal Highness to The Bowes Museum and to have the pleasure of introducing her to the internationally important collections.”