SPECIALLY invited guests will be at the Museum of Dartmoor Life next Monday (October 18) to mark its official launch following a major £650,000 refurbishment.
Special guest of honour will be television presenter Angela Rippon.
Although the museum has been open to the public for more than two months, the launch will be a chance to celebrate the museum?s transformation.
Museum curator, Maurie Webber said: ?We thought Angela Rippon would be the perfect choice as she has strong West Country links and lived on Dartmoor for many years as well as being a household name.?
Also attending the launch will be the Earl and Countess of Devon, who will be able to inspect and toll the two 13th Century bells housed on the first floor that came from Okehampton Castle. The inscription around the bells refers to Hugh and Eleanor Courtenay, the present Earl?s ancestors.
Invited guests will be able to feel they have really stepped back in time when they will also be able to meet Sir Francis Drake, Isambard Kingdom Brunel, Sidney Simmons and a Roman Centurion and his lady showing visitors around the museum.
To tie in with the official launch, there will be a new exhibition staged at the gallery space at the museum.
South Tawton artist Felicity Capper?s exhibition of watercolours went on show from Monday and runs for three weeks.
Felicity had her first watercolour exhibition in Chagford eight years ago, since when she has exhibited in other venues and has sold her work in several West Country galleries.
She studied drawing, sculpture and pottery at Kingston Art College, before pursuing a career as a technical illustrator, continuing to draw children and animals for commissions.
Felicity?s drawings can also be found illustrating two recently produced books and her tapestry designs have been used to produce millennium pew seat pads for Drewsteignton Church.
The exhibition contains around 40 paintings, mainly landscapes all painted within the last couple of years.