Left: Amy and Joely get an introduction to a soldier's life from the gallery's slightly unusual tour guide.
An exciting new version of the Soldier's Life gallery at Newcastle's Discovery Museum is now open as part of the museum's recent redevelopment.
The exhibition focuses on the lives of soldiers both during war and peacetime and covers more than 200 years of military life.
A Soldier's Life was originally launched in 1995 and is now part of the museum's £12.25 million redevelopment. The gallery focuses on two local regiments that do not exist today, the 15th/19th King's Royal Hussars and the territorial force of the Northumberland Hussars.
The two regiments have since joined to form the Light Dragoons and the Queen's Own Yeomanry.
"The new Soldier's Life gallery takes a refreshing look at the human side of military life," explained Ralph Thompson, regimental museum assistant.
Right: a young recruit tests out the new interactive gallery.
"It is wonderful that the gallery has been redisplayed and the new sections and exhibits make it an even more fascinating and interactive experience."
The new gallery still exhibits old favourites like the drill sergeant and the talking horse, but has been updated to include the Light Dragoons, England's Northern Cavalry, which was established in 1992.
An interactive computer test enables visitors to demonstrate how many of the Dragoons they recognise. The kids are also able to enjoy the experience as they sit in a tank and see through the eyes of a soldier via a viewing screen.
A talking soldier, crouching for cover, talks to the visitors in the display of a reconstructed modern-day military operation.
"The Light Dragoons have an excellent relationship with Discovery Museum and the new gallery is a testament to this," added Brigadier Tony Wells CBE, chair of the Regimental Museum Trustees.
