WORK to create Dudley's new museum within the borough's archive centre is almost complete.

The layout has been changed and new walls have been added to the Tipton Road building to make way for the collections, which are currently in storage.

State-of-the-art lighting has also been installed ahead of the opening of the new museum, which will boast a dedicated timeline for people to walk through the different periods of the borough’s history, including geology collections, dinosaurs and the glass making history.

Education rooms are also taking shape along with study areas.

Alan Lunt, strategic director for place at Dudley Council, said: “The new museum is already shaping up to be a real success story.

"The building work on the galleries is now complete and we are working on the security and layout before we bring the collections in.

“The next phase of the work is on track and will help us celebrate the rich history this borough has to offer.

"I’m sure people will love their new museum once it is all up and running later this year.”

The old museum, in St James’s Road, closed in December as part of the council's cost-cutting plans.

However the decision was met with much opposition and more than 4,000 people signed an online petition to save the museum.

But council bosses say the new museum has better parking facilities and access to the galleries, as well as being at the heart of the tourism hub at Castle Hill.