A new exhibition celebrating the golden age of tourism in the south of the island has opened at Rushen Heritage Centre in Port Erin.

Titled ‘Wish You Were Here?’, the exhibition explores holidays in Rushen through the years, offering visitors a glimpse into the area's tourism heritage with a collection of photographs and memories from the heyday of the Manx visitor industry.

The exhibition has been curated by Rushen Heritage Trust volunteers Sylvia Jarrett and Violet Cusworth.

‘We have staged similar tourism exhibitions at the Heritage Centre a few years ago,’ Sylvia said.

‘They proved so popular with visitors and locals alike that we decided to revisit the theme.

‘Exploring tourism in the “beautiful south” brings back wonderful memories of happy days when the sun seemed to be always shining, including Traie Meanagh swimming baths, Port St Mary Regatta, and cafes such as The Chasms and Smokey Joe’s.’

‘Wish You Were Here?’ is open from 10am to 4pm, Tuesday to Saturday, at Rushen Heritage Centre in Bridson Street, Port Erin. It will run until Saturday, September 5.

The exhibition is the latest in a series organised by the volunteer-run centre throughout the season.

Following its conclusion, the final exhibition of the year will focus on archaeological sites in the south of the island. It opens on Tuesday, September 8 and will continue until the end of the season on Saturday, October 31.

As well as hosting exhibitions, Rushen Heritage Centre operates as a visitor information centre in partnership with government agency Visit Isle of Man.

The centre also sells Rushen Heritage Trust books, greetings cards featuring local scenes, merchandise, and a range of books and maps relating to Rushen.

For more information about Rushen Heritage Centre, contact trust coordinator John Quirk by email at [email protected] or by telephone on 464634.