Monmouth's Charles Rolls centenary celebrations kick off on Saturday 13th February, with a family open day at the Nelson Museum and the launch of a special exhibition about Rolls's life and work.

Free activities (from 11am) include the chance to dress in Edwardian costume, make a hot air balloon, print a personal bookplate, play with Edwardian toys and games, explore Monmouth via the Rolls town trail, tackle the 'Challenge Charlie' museum trail, and learn about a Rolls-Royce Viper jet engine.

The museum has a large Rolls archive, including many items donated by the family.

The exhibition, which focuses on Rolls's achievements and his family background and close association with Monmouth, includes rare photographs of the man in cars, balloons and planes, and numerous private letters, notes, documents and press cuttings.

Among the exhibits is a maquette designed by Lady Kathleen Scott (wife of Robert Falcon Scott) for a statue planned for Dover to celebrate his double Channel crossing in June 1910.

Rolls was killed a month after that landmark achievement, the lifesize statue in Dover ultimately became his memorial.

The exhibition is called 'So – Why Not? The life of Charles Stewart Rolls: 1877-1910', and runs until the end of October. The family activities at the museum, and the much wider educational programme running throughout the exhibition period, have been made possible by generous sponsorship from Rolls-Royce PLC.