To 'celebrate' the unveiling of a new Roman Gallery and exhibition at the City Museum, a Roman funeral procession has been organised.

Museum staff, along with professional interpreters from Roman Tours Ltd, will carry a stretcher through the streets dressed as Roman soldiers.

The march will start at Lancaster Castle, go past the Judges' Lodgings, down Church Street, onto Cheapside and finish at the museum.

The public can watch the procession taking place from 11.30am-1pm.

Following the procession, people are invited to look around the new gallery and take part in a free family drop-in session to create Roman sculptures, from 1.30 to 3.30pm.

The Roman Gallery has been developed and revitalised, thanks to a £5,000 grant from the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) to support the museum's star attraction – an iconic Roman cavalry tombstone.

The tombstone, dating back to 100AD, was discovered in Lancaster in November 2005 during an excavation in Aldcliffe Road by the Greater Manchester Archaeology Unit.

Specialist staff at Lancashire County Council's conservation
studio in Preston worked to fully restore the tombstone so that it could take pride of place on permanent display at Lancaster City Museum last year.

The new gallery features information and artefacts depicting Roman life in Lancaster such as jewellery, clothing and domestic utensils, a dressing up corner for children where they can try on traditional Roman costume, and a range of fun family friendly activities.

* Lancaster City Museum is open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 5pm and entry is free. For further information, contact the museum on 01524 64637 or visit www.lancashire.gov.uk/museums