A NEW display at Yarmouth's Time and Tide museum is being billed as a celebration of the past and the future.For in the month when the �50m outer harbour is set to receive its first ship, the temporary exhibition, A Trading Town, takes a historic look back at the port.

A NEW display at Yarmouth's Time and Tide museum is being billed as a celebration of the past and the future.

For in the month when the �50m outer harbour is set to receive its first ship, the temporary exhibition, A Trading Town, takes a historic look back at the port.

Maritime curator Fiona Ford has put together a collection of paintings, many by well-known artists from the region, which depict colourful scenes of the river port over two centuries.

One work by Rowland Fisher, showing the loading of a timber ship, has been loaned by Richard Jewson, the Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk, who was chairman of EastPort, the company which steered through the outer harbour project.

Striking 1920s views of a busy river scene at Haven Bridge - prior to it being rebuilt and opened by the Prince of Wales in the following decade - are painted by Stephen Batchelder.

An early 19th century view of Yarmouth quay, painted by George Vincent, and loaned by Norwich Castle Museum, stands in sharp contrast to the river scene of modern offshore supply ships today.

Among interesting objects on display is a model of the town's St George's Chapel, skilfully crafted by John Preston, controller of customs in Yarmouth in the early 19th century.

“There is an extra link with the port in that St George's Chapel was built with the dues from coal coming into Yarmouth,” said Ms Ford.

A Trading Town opens on today. It is free to people buying a museum ticket or can be viewed separately for �2.75 (�1.90 children).