HUNDREDS of extra visitors flocked to a museum on Saturday when it dropped its entry charges.

The National Railway Museum, in York, has scrapped admission charges as part of a push to allow the public free viewing of major national collections.

The move is the final phase of a three-year Government initiative to open up such collections, and is seen as a major landmark in the museum's history.

Extra funding from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport has allowed this latest move to come about.

Opened 26 years ago, the museum has had a successful year with the launch of two major exhibitions. It has also gained a number of awards, including European Museum of the Year