CHESHIRE Life magazine is celebrating its 90th anniversary with a series of exhibitions around the county.

The magazine, launched in May 1934, is the longest-running and most commercially successful regional publication in the UK.

The celebration includes an exhibition at The Catalyst Museum, Widnes, showcasing high-resolution images from historical copies of Cheshire Life.

The exhibition, which runs to January 10, 2025, features adverts, Cheshire events, visually striking front covers, and early features on industrial Cheshire such as the importance of salt production, the influence of ICI, and the centrality of Runcorn and Widnes to Cheshire’s industrial heritage.

Dr Matt Davies, an English lecturer from the University of Chester, said: "Cheshire Life is a historically important resource which has contributed to the forging of a county identity.

"The exhibition aims to showcase how it has evolved from being the official journal of the Cheshire Publicity and Industrial Development Council on its launch, to the successful glossy, positive lifestyle magazine it is today.

"We’ve all taken great delight in sifting through back copies of the magazine to choose a small representative selection to put on display, and are very grateful to Cheshire Life editor, Joanne Goodwin, for her input into the project."

The exhibition is part of a collaborative effort with English lecturers Dr Matt Davies and Dr Naomi Walker from the University of Chester, Cheshire Life expert Dr Andrew Hobbs from the University of Central Lancashire, and Cheshire Archives and Local Studies.

Joanne Goodwin, Cheshire Life editor, said: "We are delighted that Cheshire Life is on tour in our anniversary year and are indebted to the University of Chester for its work on this project, celebrating our 90 years.

"Each and every community in the county is important to us and I hope the exhibition will show new readers, and old, how Cheshire Life has been and is a constant supporter of the county and its people."

Nikki Burton Mallot, Catalyst CEO, added: "We are thrilled to host the Cheshire Life 90th Anniversary exhibition.

"We hope to welcome as many people as possible to explore the fascinating story which is so relevant to our community."

The museum is open from 10am to 5pm, Tuesday to Sunday, with last entry at 4pm.

Entry to the exhibition is free, including the café and gift shop.