Wedgwood museum officially opened

The new building is based at the manufacturing headquarters of the firm

More than 250 years of Wedgwood ceramics history has gone on display at a new £10.5m museum in Staffordshire.

Visitors to the company's headquarters in Barlaston can view ceramics and pottery from the past three centuries.

Sketches and designs by Josiah Wedgwood are also on display at the museum which has been officially opened.

"To see it full of people is just magical and it gives us a chance to show the world the wonderful treasures that we've got," a spokesman said.

Fundraising for the centre, which is expected to attract 100,000 visitors a year, began eight years ago.

About 6,000 artefacts and 680 pattern books are on show.

It also includes an interactive "magic carpet" ride for visitors, allowing them to "fly" around the company's original Etruria factory, which has since been demolished.