Museum officials hope the 300-year history of the Royal Norfolk Regiment will be enjoyed by more visitors from next summer.

Life as a soldier, national service and serving the Empire are among the sections in the display proposed at Norwich Castle.

Medals, costume cases, a model of a trench and an interactive timeline are also included in the designs.

Plans have been submitted to Norwich City Council to make changes to the balcony of the museum's rotunda, or central area.

The Royal Norfolk Regimental Museum displays are closed as part of changes to the Shirehall.

A selection of objects have been on display in the castle since October 2011. It is hoped a permanent, bigger section on the regiment will be completed by summer 2013.

Bill Seaman, assistant head of the museum service, said there will be a set space in the Castle Museum, although there were not many previously unseen items in storage.

Mr Seaman said: 'What you saw was what you got. The majority will be re-displayed in the castle and that should mean more people will see it than before.'

In 2010/11, there were 3,937 visits directly to the Royal Norfolk Regimental displays. A further 7,270 of the castle's 87,091 visitors also viewed the display.

Mr Seaman said: 'We've worked very hard to save money by getting out of Carrow House and having a win-win situation in the process. More people will have access to the regimental collections than they possibly did in a dedicated space.'

Regiments were initially known by the name of their colonel. This regiment's first association with Norfolk emerged in 1782 when it became known as 9th East Norfolk. In 1881 it was called the Norfolk Regiment, with the prefix 'Royal' being added in 1935.

Battle honours include the Crimean War (1854-1856), the Boer War (1899-1902) and both world wars, including the 1944 Normandy landings.

They later joined with their Suffolk counterparts to become the 1st East Anglian Regiment and are now the first battalion of the Royal Anglians.