Aylesbury, the county town of Buckinghamshire and a place forever distinguished by its association with ducks, has put itself on the cultural map with an immaculate new museum and art gallery.

Rising out of a jumble of old buildings and dreary displays, the former county museum has been transformed after a six-year refurbishment into the Buckinghamshire County Museum, an invitingly accessible resource with a variety of hands-on and interactive facilities.

The new art gallery has been inserted into the middle of this purpose-built building, which results in a curious juxtaposition of ancient and modern: renovations uncovered a 14th century timbered roof together with an original wattle and daub painted wall. The gallery aims to promote the work of local artists, so these discoveries have been celebrated in an etching by Jane Muir and complemented by a wooden wall relief by Robert Koenig.

One of the principal players involved in raising the Pounds 500,000 required to fund the new gallery was the retired Conservative MP Sir Timothy Raison. An art-lover and trustee of the British Museum he is also the co-curator of the museum’s inaugural exhibition We Three Kings, which illustrates the story of the Magi in art and myth.

“The aim”, he says, “was to launch the gallery with an ambitious high quality show a theme with a long artistic tradition but also a popular and contemporary dimension”.

The exhibition has been blessed with loans of historical works from the likes of the British Museum and the V A, while specially-commissioned contemporary pieces include three life-sized kings made by Bucks school children during residencies with the artist Christine Wilkinson. (A project sponsored by News International).

Under the guidance of the interpretation officer Anne Luise Benz, a group of key stage 3 pupils from Spinfield County Combined School in Marlow were among the first visitors. They learned how the story of the Wise Men developed from a few slender lines in St Matthew’s Gospel into the multi-faceted version we know today. Matthew did not specify how many wise men there were, but because he mentions three gifts it was assumed that this was the number of actual donors. By the 8th Century they had acquired names Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar.

Why did they bring gifts? What did these symbolise? What presents would children give today representing their most valuable possessions? What non-material gifts could they give different people across the world? From Gospel gold we moved to gifts of computers and water.

The story of the three gift-bearers reached the height of its popularity in the Middle Ages. Originally thought to be Persian astrologers, by now the wise men had been linked with Old Testament prophesies and had assumed the role of magnificent kings. In paintings, carvings and on stained glass their images filled churches in order to teach the Christian message to the thousands who could not read. Just as people today idolise pop stars, Anne Luise Benz explained, people then worshipped saints and the kings’ “relics” became the centre of a cult.

From the 14th century on, images of the kings were altered to symbolise the spread of Christianity around the world. They were now portrayed as youth, middle and old age with their skin colouring representing the three continents of Europe, Asia and Africa. There is an intriguing cross-cultural play here with some of the most interesting exhibits, such as an illuminated 18th-Century Ethiopian manuscript, showing how the kings were represented by non-European countries. Breugel’s “Adoration” inserts the stable scene into a busy day of winter’s activity in Flanders giving the story a fascinating yet familiar twist. The popular appeal of the crib in the snow is highlighted in the exhibition in a display of snowy Victorian Christmas cards.

Gifts, journeys and mysteries are the main themes of the exhibition. En route, visitors learn how gold leaf was used, manuscripts illuminated and stained glass was made. Among the items on show are not only paintings and altarpieces but also ivories, carvings and manuscripts as well as a spectacular 15th Century French stained glass panel.

Familiar images include a lovely painting from the circle of Van der Goes, which shows the oxen crowding the kings and in the distance their horses under a star. More unusual items include the Glenlyon Brooch inscribed with the names of the kings and used as an amulet; an enamelled Limoges casket to contain relics; and an exuberant Faenza wall plaque depicting the kings in a grotto.

Contemporary exhibits include Caribbean, Indian and feminist representations of the Magi, and show that there is still life in the old story yet.

Buckinghamshire County Museum and Art Gallery is open Mondays to Saturdays 10am-5pm and Sundays 2pm-5pm. Admission to museum and gallery free of charge, although special exhibitions (including We Three Kings, which runs until January 21, 1996) cost Pounds 2 per adult, Pounds 1 concessions and accompanied children free. For details of charges for school parties, teachers’ packs and school visits contact the education service on 01296 331441.