Staff at Wolverhampton Art Gallery are getting Santa's magical grotto dressed and ready for a fantastic family festive opening night.

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Two galleries at the Lichfield Street venue are being turned into a Christmas wonderland for the Fairytale Magic exhibition, which opens on Wednesday 23 November - the same night as the city centre's fantastic lights switch on.

Father Christmas will make an appearance at the gallery between 5pm and 7pm on the night, with the exhibition running until Sunday 8 January.

The free family friendly show, aimed at children aged 2 to 10, will be filled with wondrous Victorian lantern slides and Santa's grotto.

One of the gallery's best loved Christmas paintings, Madonna and Child, by Marianne Stokes, which was used by the Royal Mail as its 2005 Christmas stamp, will also be on display.

Councillor John Reynolds, City of Wolverhampton Council Cabinet Member for City Economy, said: "This exhibition is aimed at children and their families and we are hoping lots of people will come into the gallery during the city's Christmas lights switch on to enjoy the spectacle - and of course meet Santa."

Running alongside Fairytale Magic is another child friendly exhibition, Victorian Playtime, which is packed with traditional toys - some of which visitors can enjoy playing with.

  • released: Monday 21 November, 2016