PIER we go! One of Southend’s most fascinating museums is set to reopen this Easter weekend- and there’s so much to see!

The Southend Pier Museum will be open to visitors from Good Friday (April 7) through to Easter Monday (April 10), bringing the chance to find out everything you ever wanted to know about Southend’s famous landmark.

Echo: Trip back in time - Tim Watts, a longtime trustee of the pier museum, next to the oldest pier train carriage on display, complete with vintage mannequinsTrip back in time - Tim Watts, a longtime trustee of the pier museum, next to the oldest pier train carriage on display, complete with vintage mannequins (Image: Newsquest)

Packed with artefacts as well as old photographs, exhibits, historic amusements and even three real former pier train carriages, the museum is run entirely by volunteers who have worked around the clock to ensure the venue could re-open over the Easter break.

Echo: Visual history - A TV screen takes visitors on a journey through the pier’s pastVisual history - A TV screen takes visitors on a journey through the pier’s past (Image: Newsquest)

Echo: Facny a go? a slot machine from the Victorian era. Most of the machines at the museum are still in working order and visitors can have a go on them Facny a go? a slot machine from the Victorian era. Most of the machines at the museum are still in working order and visitors can have a go on them (Image: Newsquest)

Last year the museum got a major overhaul and in time for this Easter two historic slot machines, which once graced the pier, have been revamped while there are also artefacts relating to efforts to save the 17th century shipwreck, The London, from the Thames estuary.

Echo: Amusement - Aaron Waldron, aged seven, from Laindon, has a go on an old pier slot machineAmusement - Aaron Waldron, aged seven, from Laindon, has a go on an old pier slot machine (Image: Newsquest)

Echo: Steer you go- the actual controls from an old pier trainSteer you go- the actual controls from an old pier train (Image: Newsquest)

Tim Watts, who has been chairman of the pier museum trustees for several years, said: “We have some amazing exhibits here and now we are back open we want visitors to come and see everything.”

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Echo: The brick tollhouse - A cardboard model of how the pier entrance looked from 1885-1931The brick tollhouse - A cardboard model of how the pier entrance looked from 1885-1931 (Image: Newsquest)

Echo: Nostalgic – Southend councillor Carole Mulroney next to one of the pier trains from the 1940sNostalgic – Southend councillor Carole Mulroney next to one of the pier trains from the 1940s (Image: Newsquest)

Museum volunteer Chris Hebden added: “When people come in they tend to remark on the trains in particular, but others love to just look at the photos and learn about the history of the pier. Everyone has their special memory of the pier and it’s so nice to hear people’s stories.”

Echo: Waxwork- one of the museum’s mannequins in an early pier trainWaxwork- one of the museum’s mannequins in an early pier train (Image: Newsquest)

The pier museum is located at the pier entrance on the seafront and is open on weekends and bank holidays from 11am-5pm until late October.

Entry is £2.50 for adults and free for under-16.

Echo: How pier visitors used to dress- another mannequin in vintage gearHow pier visitors used to dress- another mannequin in vintage gear (Image: Newsquest)