National Trust's Belton House reopens after months of conservation work ready for the season

A popular National Trust site has reopened its doors after months of conservation work.

Belton House is preparing for a busy season, and following months of work the mansion is now open Fridays to Mondays from 12.30pm until 5pm, but will open seven days a week later in the spring.

Visitors are invited to explore the upper ground and first floor at their own pace, discovering trasures collected by generations of the Brownlow family, such as a seventeenth century lapis lazuli cabinet.

Curator Fiona Hall has been designing improvements to the mansion visitor experience, including the installation of additional lighting.

This complex process has introduced modern wiring into a 330-year-old house, and promises to bring to life some of the finest elements of the collection.

New sofas and armchairs have been added into the library where visitors can stay a while and take in their surroundings.

Fiona said: "We are really excited to show visitors some of the changes we have been making over the winter.

"We’re starting to highlight the treasures in the house while developing new experiences that will be introduced over the coming months."

The Stables cafe and shop close at 5pm but the outdoor opening times for the park, gardens and play areas extend to 5.30pm.