A POPULAR Dudley tourist attraction has revealed multi-million pound expansion plans.

Proposals for the Black Country Living Museum include a new visitor centre, which would lead to a bustling 1940s-1960s town, featuring a working library, new shops, restaurants, a corner pub, housing and a bowling green.

Forgotten industries would also be showcased with plans for a manufacturing and making zone, where costumed characters would demonstrate brick making, iron founding and metal working and the historic tramway would be extended to connect the developments, looping through the site in a figure-of-eight.

The pioneering project could also see the entrance moved from Tipton Road to Castle Hill- creating one off-road arrival point for the museum, Dudley Canal Trust, Dudley Zoo and Dudley Archives and Local History Centre.

Bosses are also looking to offer visitors the opportunity to stay in on-site holiday accommodation, housed in the museum's historic building.

Funding is now being sought for the ambitious project, which would allow the museum to complete its story – a full 300-years of Black Country history – from the world’s first steam engine designed by Thomas Newcomen’s in the early eighteenth century, to the modern day industries which remain a vital part of the Black Country economy.

Andrew Lovett, museum director and chief executive, said: “We have been consulting with the public over the last few years about our vision for future development of the Black Country Living Museum.

“We are now asking for people to give us their thoughts on our vision for the museum which will see us bring our unique story to a natural conclusion with a host of exciting new physical developments across our 26 acre site.”

To take part in the online survey visit www.bclm.com/vision.