Former Coronation Street star Susie Blake, who is appearing in the summer season at the Stephen Joseph Theatre, will reopen the museum and mark the start of a two-day community party.

Museum staff are expecting more than 600 visitors who have taken up the free entry offer in the Scarbor- ough Evening News.

The response was so overwhelming that the museum will stay open for an extra hour until 6pm to ensure everyone gets a good look around.

Shirley Collier, chief executive of Scarborough Museums Trust, said: "The take-up of the Saturday free entry offer was so great that we will only be open to those people who applied for free tickets.

"However, everyone is welcome to come down and join the free community party taking place in the grounds."

Events planned for both tomorrow and Sunday include art workshops for children, magic shows, face painting and performances from Scarborough Hip Hop School and the Hatton School of Performing Arts.

There will also be music from The Pieces and Whitby Community Choir tomorrow, plus Dave Tomlinson and Alistair James and opera singer Victoria Wright on Sunday.

The museum will be open to all on Sunday from 10am-5pm, with additional entertainment from Scarbor- ough Symphony Orch- estra and Yorkshire Coast Morris Dancers.

l A free lecture about William Smith, whose geological work inspired the building of the museum, will take place tonight.

The lecture will be given by Professor Hugh Torrens, of Keele University, a leading expert on Smith.

The event, sponsored by Rio Tinto, is open to the public and will be held in the Promenade Lounge at the Spa at 6pm.