CELEBRATING the decade of rock and roll and the widespread introduction of television, a museum today opens its New Elizabethans exhibition.

To mark its 50th anniversary, The Royal Pump Room Museum, in Harrogate, will commemorate life in the 1950s with a display of memorabilia and artefacts.

Bringing to life a period of history that began in the time of post-war hardship and ended with the proclamation that we had "never had it so good", the exhibition guarantees to entertain visitors of all ages.

A wealth of items will be on display - from petticoats and household items to television sets and rock and roll records.

Anyone feeling nostalgic after walking down memory lane will have the opportunity to purchase items with a 1950s feel in the museum shop.

Barbara Blakeson, curator of human history at the Royal Pump Room, said: "The 1950s was a decade that led from drab to fab. This exhibition highlights the emergence of fun and colour to the world."

* The Friends of Harrogate District Museums has been given a £2,920 grant by the National Lottery.

The money will be used on an oral history project to find out more about life in the area during the 1950s.