It is the Staffordshire visitor attraction with plenty of history, and one that has been involved with plenty of firsts - and visitors to Drayton Manor Park can see it all in a new museum which has opened to mark its 75th anniversary.

Drayton Manor Park opened its gates on April 4 1950 and presently covers 180 acres (73 hectares), of which about 113 acres (46 hectares) are in use, and hosts about 1.5 million people each year.

The land on which it stands, in Fazeley near Tamworth, once belonged to the Peel family and Drayton Manor mansion was built for Sir Robert Peel, 2nd Baronet and founder of the modern police in the UK.

Today it is a thriving theme park and zoo with modern rides and attraction nestling alongside a range of animals in the zoo which aims to foster a love for nature, and help people learn about conservation, and celebrate the extraordinary beauty of the animal kingdom.

Launch of the museum at Drayton Manor Resort, to celebrate their 75th anniversary.

placeholder image — Launch of the museum at Drayton Manor Resort, to celebrate their 75th anniversary.

Drayton Manor Park or Drayton Manor Resort as it is now known opened its gates on April 4 1950 by George and Vera Bryan and was owned exclusively by members of their family up until August 2020 when it was as sold to Looping Group, who also own the West Midlands Safari Park.

The Shockwave was the first stand up roller coaster in the UK

Originally a modest amusement park with simple rides, rowboats, and a petting zoo, it quickly became a cherished family destination.

Over the decades, the park expanded with the introduction of thrill rides like Shockwave in 1994, Europe’s first stand-up rollercoaster, and Stormforce 10 in 1999. Innovations such as Thomas Land transformed the park, drawing in families ith youngsters from across the UK and the opening of a four star hotel in 2011 made it possible for visitors to stay over.

The resort features thrilling family rides and the zoo is home to over 100 species and attracts thousands of visitors each year.

The new useum features more than 250 photographs from 75 years of the Drayton Manor's history including original prints and showcases how the resort has developed over the years with artefacts, memorabilia, toys and overall it is an exhibition full of memories.

A spectacular firework display will take place tomorrow and every Saturday until the summer to mark the special occasion and managing director Victoria Lynn said they were determined to showcase the rich history of the grounds, theme park and zoo whilst also looking to the future.

She said: "We are delighted to showcase the heritage of Drayton Manor, people love nostalgia and many visitors have been coming here for years.

"This is a one time attraction which will be in place until the end of the summer and we are delighted to have been able to bring it together, there are some amazing things in here."