Busy year as Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust marks its 50th aniversary - pictures and video

From Blists Hill to Enginuity and across all of its other properties, there will be a number of special events, talks and conferences to mark the 50 years since the trust was launched.

Bosses have also announced further details on their £15 million masterplan of upgrades and upcoming work set to take place at the trust over the next 10 years.

Paul Gossage, director of engagement for the trust, said: "2017 is going to be, as an anniversary year, a wonderful celebration of the last 50 years.

"Over the years we've done remarkable work. Without any shadow of the doubt, the museums have been a catalyst to bring people to this area.

"We're hoping this is going to be a fantastic year for people to not only come to the museums from the local area, but from all over the world."

The first phase of the new masterplan is the re-opening of the Coalbrookdale Museum of Iron, which has been given a refurbishment since it was closed more than six months ago.

The new museum will reveal how what happened in that part of Shropshire during the Industrial Revolution changed the world forever.

From wooden wheels used on one of the world's first railways to cannons, anchors and fire guards dating back hundreds of years – it's a chance for visitors to see just how much influence Ironbridge and the surrounding areas have had on the world.

The museum also has details on the area's rich geological history and offers information on the Darby family and their impact on modern industry.

Later additions will see the refurbishment and extension of design and technology centre Enginuity.

The trust hopes to update the museum so that it inspires a "greater understanding of science, technology, engineering, art and maths for students of all ages".

An architectural competition will be launched to help design a new cover building for Abraham Darby I's Old Furnace, which was used for the first time in January 1709, as well as unifying the old buildings dotted around Coalbrookdale.

A two-storey gallery will be created underneath the Iron Museum's long warehouse, allowing the disaply of temporary exhibitions and a wider range of collections to be shown.

A new destination cafe will also be created, which could be used as a restaurant at night.

New collections stores will be built, enabling the trust to open some of the currently stored historic artefacts to be more accessible by researchers, volunteers and members of the public. There are similar plans for the existing library and archive.

Carpenter's Row – a collection of early workers' houses near to the museum – will be fully restored to provide accommodation for visiting academics and as holiday lets for tourists. This is expected to create a new source of income for the museums.

Finally, conservation work will take place on the Quaker Burial Ground, where members of the Darby family are buried.

The plans stretch over the next 10 years and are expected to cost £15 million, which will come from a variety of sources including public grants and private donations.

To celebrate its 50th anniversary, the trust will hold a number of events over the coming months.

From April 29 to May 7, there will be the 12th annual Ironbridge Walking Festival. The festival comprises 57 different guided walks. Most range from two to 10 miles in distance, while more experienced walkers can enjoy 25 longer, more challenging walks up to 21 miles in length.

From May there will be an "Art of the Community" exhibition, showcasing professionally curated and judged work from members of the public throughout all 10 museums.

A Steam Road Run on May 13 will see 30 steam engines travel throughout the World Heritage Site, with many of them then going on display at Blists Hill the following day.

On June 15 there will be a lecture on the use of engineering in espionage by former GCHQ director Sir David Pepper, which takes place at the Coalbrookdale Museum of Iron.

An international conference on bridges will take place from July 6 to July 10.

Ironbridge's first ever Steampunk gathering is set to take place on July 1 and 2 at Blists Hill, offering a fresh technology-influenced take on the Victorian style.

From August 21 to 25 there will be a conference for the Association of European Open-Air Museums, followed by a conference by World Heritage UK on October 10.

To wrap up the year's anniversary events, Crossrail's Sir Terry Morgan will deliver the inaugural Ironbridge London Lecture.