RECORD numbers of people are taking a step back into Eastleigh's past with a visit to the town's museum.

More than 17,000 visitors called in at the museum in the High Street during 2004 - a massive 31 per cent increase over the previous year.

Besides finding out about life in the borough during the 1930s, visitors have also been able to enjoy a wide variety of special exhibitions and craft activities.

Bosses believe a special hands-on exhibition for families, called The Invaders, helped to attract more visitors during its temporary run early last year and gave people the chance to explore, touch and discover some amazing things about the area's Anglo-Saxon ancestors.

A programme of popular school holiday activities and special local exhibitions - including one on the Flying Man of Bursledon - had also kept visitors coming back again and again to discover something new.

Now the museum is planning more activities to attract visitors, including a number of drop-in, hands-on, make and take craft activities for families during every school holiday.

More special exhibitions are also planned this year, including a local show, dubbed Silver Skills, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Fair Oak Art and Craft Society.

The next special exhibition - An Alphabet of Animals by Chris Wormell - will run from March 19 to April 30. The exhibition shows witty and engaging lino cuts of animals from across the globe, and the museum is already planning lots of activities and accompanying workshops for family groups.

Museum curator Sue Tapliss said: "We are delighted more people are choosing to spend their leisure time learning about the town's fascinating past and I am sure it will continue.

"This is a credit to the team of museum assistants, whose knowledge and skills help to keep our museum interesting and attractive for visitors, and to our colleagues at Hampshire County Council's Museums Service and Eastleigh Borough Council, with whom we work in partnership."