SUPPORTERS of Swansea's Egypt Centre have been given a pat on the back this week after it achieved an accreditation award.

The museum, which is based on the campus of Swansea University, is also enjoying a double celebration — it is also the centre's 10th birthday.

Curator Carolyn Graves-Brown, who lives in Llanelli, said: "We are very pleased with the celebrations this week.

"We are very grateful for all the people who have supported us.

"The Egypt Centre very much works as a team."

Mrs Graves-Brown said they have around 80 volunteers.

She said: "Our volunteers deliver a lot of our services, which also helped us get the award."

The award which is set by the Museums Libraries and Archives Accreditation Scheme, determines the standards for UK museums.

"The fact we have achieved the award, and we are up to that standard is brilliant," said Mrs Graves-Brown.

But celebrations may be kept short as they come in the middle of a busy half-term week.

She said: "We are really looking forward to it, but it will be a bit hectic! We have activities for all the family so they can work together and have fun."

Last year the centre had 22,000 visitors and bosses are hoping to top that this year.

But with four full-time staff and three part-time staff today, it was a little different when the centre first started out 10-years-ago.

Mrs Graves-Brown said: "We opened back in 1998 — at that time we only had one member of staff, which was me."

"At that time we only had 14,000 visitors a year.

"But today, we have schools booked up to Christmas - it has taken off in a big way."

The Egypt Centre is open Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 4pm.

For more information call 01792 295960 or visit www.swansea.ac.uk/egypt.