The refurbished Rochdale Pioneers Museum, which celebrates the birth of the co-operative movement, has reopened its doors after a £2.3m refit.

The improvements include a new access tower offering lift access, more multimedia displays and the resurrection of the original second floor reading room.

The museum, which has been in existence for 80 years, tells the story of how, in 1844, 28 Rochdale men, tired of being overcharged for poor quality goods, decided to contribute a pound a piece to start their own co-operatively run business.

“Our annual target is 9,000 visitors, but we received 1,400 visitors from 33 different countries in the first week,” said museum manager, Jenny Broadbent. “That was partly because of a co-operative expo in Manchester, but we have continued to attract 300-400 visitors per week, including local people and coach parties from around the UK.”

The ground floor of the museum creates the feeling of stepping inside the original sparsely-stocked shop. There are also displays and slideshows about the pioneers. The first floor is about co-operatives around the world and includes a video booth for visitors to record a message.

The top floor reading room, known as the learning loft, is regularly used for school visits and community groups. It also contains a cinema in which visitors can watch films about the co-operative movement and a 'dividend' touchscreen interactive.

The museum received £1.5m towards the work from the Heritage Lottery Fund. “It is a truly humbling thought that this is where the global cooperative movement started. It shows ordinary people can do extraordinary things,” says Sara Hilton, head of the Heritage Lottery Fund North West. “The development of the co-operative movement is an important part of our social history, both for local communities and for people across the world.”