It brings to life the colourful history of the Broads, documenting life from centuries past up to the present day and now a Royal VIP is to pay a visit to mark its latest venture.

The Princess Royal is visiting the Museum of the Broads on The Staithe, Stalham, on Thursday, June 30, to launch their touch screen project – new computers which allow visitors to view images and boat plans from the museum's collection which are not normally on display.

On the day of the Royal visit, the Princess will make a tour of the museum meeting the volunteers who work at the museum and invited guests. She will also launch the touch screen project and meet those who made it possible.

There are two touch screens in place at the museum where people can access a range of archive material, including pictures from the Princess Royal's visit to the Broads in 1988 when she helped mark the 80th anniversary of the White Boat Fleet with the Norfolk Yacht Club.

There is a third computer screen which is not a touch screen but has a standard mouse and keyboard and which has more than 200 digitally copied boat plans.

The two touch screens are located in the Marshman's Building and the Discovery Room and the boat plans computer in the Boat Shed.

Curator Nicola Hems said: 'This will give people the chance to see parts of the collection which they are not currently able to see because we do have not have the space to display it all.'

She said in the future there are also plans to possibly include film footage on the touch screen equipment.

In 2010, thanks to a grant from the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads Charitable trust, the museum, which last year had just under 9,000 visitors through its doors, was able to purchase audio handsets to give a mix of anecdotes, poems and informative commentary for various points around the museum

The money for the touch screen project came partly from money left over from the purchase of the audio guides and also a further grant from the Museum Development Fund.

The museum, which moved to Stalham in 2000 from Potter Heigham, is open to the public throughout the summer from just before Easter until the end of October and is run by volunteers. It is open 10.30am – 5pm seven days a week.