The Museum of Croydon has reopened following an 18-month revamp costing £1m.

The museum now contains completely refurbished galleries displaying the existing permanent collection, multi-media facilities, a new education and events suite as well as a digital memory room so that visitors can add their own stories to the museum’s oral history collection.

A new exhibition exploring suburbia living – called Sunshine in Suburbia – marks the reopening.

The exhibition celebrates the design, fashion and architecture of suburbia – housing schemes developed in the years between World War I and II – as well as the lifestyles of those who choose to move there.

The exhibition will include collections from the V&A Museum of Childhood, the Science Museum, Museum of London, Museum of Domestic Design & Architecture and Geffrye Museum.

Objects will include a flight case belonging to the pilot of the first scheduled international passenger flight as well as aeroplane furniture and fittings from the earliest flights, 1920s and 1930s furniture and appliances – including Art Deco garden furniture, dolls houses from the 1930s and a domestic sun lamp from 1927 – and fashion accessories.

Mary Webb, assistant exhibitions officer, said: “We are delighted to be able to re-open the museum with an exhibition which will resonate with visitors from all over the country. We hope to surprise people who may have a fixed view of suburban life; much as people may be pleasantly surprised by many of Croydon’s qualities today.

“The exhibition will explore the dreams of suburban residents at the beginning of the 20th century, a time when, in their excitement, people often moved into their new homes years before their roads were paved and lit. It will also draw parallels with the many positive aspects of today’s suburbia.”

The Croydon Museum & Heritage Service manages the Museum of Croydon and the exhibition was supported by a £50,000 Heritage Lottery Fund grant. Details: www.croydon.gov.uk