The Friendly Invasion exhibition looks back at the social impact on Falmouth’s residents at a time when troops were preparing for the D-Day landings.

Can you imagine sharing the streets you call home with thousands of troops? Having to keep to a curfew in your own town?

Exhibition Manager Ben Lumby says: “Sometimes it can be hard to imagine what a huge impact the US troops stationed here had in the run up to the D-Day landings. Part of the exhibition will contrast images of Falmouth from today with those from 70 years ago, to really bring this home to our visitors.”

The Maritime Museum is also marking the 100th anniversary of the start of the First World War. Over the next five years a new commemorative case will showcase items in the museum’s collections from the First World War period (1914-1918).

Among the first items to go on display are a beaded snake which was made by a Turkish prisoner of war in 1918 and souvenirs belonging to a crew member on board the four masted barque Andromeda, which was wrecked on the rocks off Killigerran Head near Falmouth in 1915.

The Friendly Invasion runs from May 24 to October 5 at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall. For more information on opening times and admission prices visit www.nmmc.co.uk or call 01326 313388.