List of museums in Cornwall
This list of museums in Cornwall, United Kingdom contains museums which are defined for this context as institutions (including nonprofit organizations, government entities, and private businesses) that collect and care for objects of cultural, artistic, scientific, or historical interest and make their collections or related exhibits available for public viewing. Also included are non-profit art galleries and university art galleries. Museums that exist only in cyberspace (i.e. virtual museums) are not included.
Museums
Name | Image | Town/City | Region | Type | Summary |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Antony House | ![]() | Antony | Cornwall | Historic house | Operated by the National Trust, early 18th century estate with gardens, features fine collections of paintings, furniture and textiles |
Barbara Hepworth Museum | ![]() | St Ives | Cornwall | Art | Studio and works by 20th-century sculptor Barbara Hepworth |
Bodmin Jail | ![]() | Bodmin | Cornwall | Prison | Former jail and exhibits of local criminals |
Bodmin Town Museum | Bodmin | Cornwall | Local | website, history, culture, industry, natural history, transport | |
Callington Heritage Centre | Callington | Cornwall | Local | website, history, culture, mining, agriculture | |
Camborne School of Mines Museum | Tremough | Cornwall | Mining | Mining and geology | |
The Castle, Bude | Bude | Cornwall | Multiple | Website, history, culture, Bude Canal, maritime, railway, art exhibits; formerly the home of Victorian inventor Sir Goldsworthy Gurney. The Castle is accredited by Arts Council England. Free entry. | |
Charlestown Shipwreck & Heritage Centre | ![]() | Charlestown | Cornwall | Maritime | website, history of diving, salvage and shipwrecks, also mining and minerals |
Constantine Heritage Centre | Constantine | Cornwall | Local | website, history, culture, mining, agriculture | |
Cornish Mines and Engines | Pool | Cornwall | Mining | Collection of engine houses, beam engines and an industrial heritage discovery centre | |
Cornwall's Regimental Museum | ![]() | Bodmin | Cornwall | Military | Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry regimental artifacts and history |
Cotehele | ![]() | Calstock | Cornwall | Historic house | Operated by the National Trust, Tudor house featuring tapestries, textiles, arms and armour, pewter, brass and old oak furniture, gardens |
Davidstow Airfield Cornwall at War Museum | Davidstow | Cornwall | Military | History of former WW II airfield, military life in region | |
Davidstow Moor RAF Memorial War Museum | Davidstow | Cornwall | Military | Housed in the former sergeants' shower block, pictorial history of the airfield's wartime years with local memorabilia | |
Elliott's Shop | Saltash | Cornwall | History | website, historic grocery store, operated by the Tamar Protection Society | |
The Exchange | Penzance | Cornwall | Art | Satellite location of Newlyn Art Gallery, contemporary art | |
Falmouth Art Gallery | ![]() | Falmouth | Cornwall | Art | Features work by Old Masters, major Victorian artists, British Impressionists, maritime artists, children's book illustrators, automata, contemporary painters and printmakers |
Flambards Experience | ![]() | Helston | Cornwall | Multiple | Amusement park with museum exhibits of Victorian shops and homes, life in Britain during The Blitz, aviation and science |
Fowey Museum | Fowey | Cornwall | Local | information, history, culture, shipping | |
Geevor Tin Mine | ![]() | Pendeen | Cornwall | Mining | Former tin mine |
Gerrans Parish Heritage Centre | Gerrans | Cornwall | Local | website, history, culture | |
Godolphin Estate | ![]() | Godolphin Cross | Cornwall | Historic house | Operated by the National Trust, Tudor/Stuart mansion, complete with early formal gardens |
Grampound with Creed Heritage Centre | Grampound | Cornwall | Local | website, history | |
Hayle Heritage Centre | Hayle | Cornwall | Local | website, operated by the Harvey’s Foundry Trust | |
Heartlands | Pool | Cornwall | Former Tin Mine, Local, Art | Regeneration of former mining land. Features an interactive exhibition about Cornish mining heritage, a restored beam engine house, botanical gardens, artist studios, adventure playground and the Red River Cafe. Free entry | |
Helston Museum | Helston | Cornwall | Local | History, culture, art, archaeology, mining, fishing, farming, costumes | |
Jamaica Inn | ![]() | Bolventor | Cornwall | Multiple | Features a museum with exhibits on smuggling in the area and the inn's role, and author Daphne du Maurier[1] |
John Betjeman Centre | ![]() | Wadebridge | Cornwall | Biographical | website, works and memorabilia of poet and author John Betjeman, located in the Wadebridge railway station |
King Edward Mine Museum | ![]() | Camborne | Cornwall | Mining | Former tin mine |
Lanhydrock | ![]() | Helston | Cornwall | Historic house | Operated by the National Trust, high Victorian style country estate with gardens |
Launceston Steam Railway | ![]() | Launceston | Cornwall | Railway | Heritage railway with museum of vintage transport and machinery in station |
Lawrence House Museum | Launceston | Cornwall | Local | 1753 Georgian house with displays about local history | |
Leach Pottery | St Ives | Cornwall | Art | 20th century studio art pottery | |
Levant Mine and Beam Engine | ![]() | Trewellard | Cornwall | Mining | Visitor center for former copper and tin mine, working steam-powered beam engine |
Liskeard and District Museum | ![]() | Liskeard | Cornwall | Local | website, local history, mining interpretation, tin toys, plastics and the environment |
Lizard Lighthouse Heritage Centre | ![]() | Lizard Point | Cornwall | Maritime | History and role of the lighthouse |
Looe Museum | Looe | Cornwall | Local | information, 15th-century guildhall and prison, exhibits on history, culture, fishing, mining | |
Lostwithiel Museum | Lostwithiel | Cornwall | Local | information, history, culture, mining | |
Luxulyan Museum and Heritage Centre | Luxulyan | Cornwall | Local | information, history, culture | |
Marazion Museum | Marazion | Cornwall | Local | website, history, culture, mining, agriculture | |
Mary Newman's Cottage | ![]() | Saltash | Cornwall | Historic house | website, 17th century period Elizabethan cottage, reputedly the home of explorer Sir Francis Drake's first wife, operated by the Tamar Protection Society |
Mevagissey Museum | Mevagissey | Cornwall | Local | website, history, culture, fishing, shipping, smuggling | |
Moseley Industrial Narorow Gauge Tramway and Toy Museum | Tolgus Mount | Cornwall | Toy, Railroad | website, open by appointment, vintage toys, model trail layouts, railroad memorabilia, narrow gauge train rides | |
Mount Edgcumbe House | ![]() | Cremyll | Cornwall | Historic house | 16th century great house restored to 18th century period, with art, tapestries, porcelain, gardens, |
Museum of Witchcraft | Boscastle | Cornwall | History | Witchcraft and Wiccan artifacts | |
National Maritime Museum Cornwall | ![]() | Falmouth | Cornwall | Maritime | Home of the National Small Boat Collection, exhibitions on Cornwall's maritime history, boat conservation and experimental boat building. Also houses the Bartlett Library of books and archives, particularly relating to Falmouth's maritime history. |
Newlyn Art Gallery | Newlyn | Cornwall | Art | Contemporary art | |
Newquay Heritage Archive & Museum | ![]() | Newquay | Cornwall | Local | website, operated by the Newquay Old Cornwall Society |
North Cornwall Museum and Art Gallery | Camelford | Cornwall | Multiple | Local history, art, agriculture and household items, Cornish and Devonshire pottery, industrial and tradesmen's tools | |
Padstow Museum | Padstow | Cornwall | Local | website, history, culture, maritime | |
Pencarrow | ![]() | Bodmin | Cornwall | Historic house | 18th-century mansion and gardens |
Pendennis Castle | ![]() | Falmouth | Cornwall | Military | Fortress built by Henry VIII, displays through WW II |
Penlee House | ![]() | Penzance | Cornwall | Art | Paintings by members of the Newlyn School |
Penryn Museum | Penryn | Cornwall | Local | information, history, culture | |
Perranzabuloe Museum | Perranporth | Cornwall | Local | website, history, culture, mining, fishing, farming | |
Poldark Mine | ![]() | Wendron | Cornwall | Mining | Former tin mine |
Polperro Heritage Museum of Smuggling and Fishing | Polperro | Cornwall | Maritime | website | |
Port Eliot | ![]() | St Germans | Cornwall | Historic house | Country mansion estate, gardens, museum of folklore |
Porthcurno Telegraph Museum | Porthcurno | Cornwall | Technology | History of telegraph cables | |
Prideaux Place | ![]() | Padstow | Cornwall | Historic house | Country mansion with royal and family portraits, fine furniture, the Prideaux Porcelain Collection, gardens |
Redruth Old Cornwall Society Museum | Redruth | Cornwall | Local | information, history, culture, mining, household items | |
Royal Cornwall Museum | ![]() | Truro | Cornwall | Multiple | Art, archaeology, local history, natural history, geology, decorative arts, coins, Egyptian and world culture artifacts |
Saltash Museum | ![]() | Saltash | Cornwall | Local | website, operated by Saltash Heritage, local history, culture, records, photographic and document archive, archeology unit |
Shire Horse Farm and Carriage Museum | Redruth | Cornwall | Transportation | website, working horse farm and collection of horse-drawn carriages | |
St Agnes Museum | St Agnes | Cornwall | Local | website, history, culture, mining, minerals, maritime | |
St Hilary Heritage Centre | St Hilary | Cornwall | Local | Located in the parish church, | |
St Ives Museum | St Ives | Cornwall | Local | information, history, culture, mining, fishing, agriculture | |
St Michael's Mount | St Michael's Mount | Cornwall | Historic house | Operated by the National Trust, tours of the island castle | |
Stuart House | Liskeard | Cornwall | Local | website, late medieval town house, exhibits about the English Civil War | |
Tate St Ives | ![]() | St Ives | Cornwall | Art | Work by modern British artists, including work of the St Ives School |
Tintagel Old Post Office | ![]() | Tintagel | Cornwall | Philatelic | Operated by the National Trust, 19th century period post office in a 14th-century yeoman's farmhouse |
Tolgus Tin Mill | Tolgus Mount | Cornwall | Mining | website, working tin mill, also hosts the Redruth Old Cornwall Society Town Museum | |
Trerice | ![]() | Newquay | Cornwall | Historic house | Operated by the National Trust, Elizabethan manor house, orchard, lawn mower collection |
Valhalla Museum | Tresco | Cornwall | Maritime | Outdoor exhibits including figureheads, name-boards and other decorative carvings from the days of sail[2] | |
Wayside Folk Museum | Zennor | Cornwall | Local | Local history and culture | |
Wheal Martyn China Clay Country Park | ![]() | Treverbyn | Cornwall | Industry | website, china clay mining industry, local clay communities and the modern china clay industry |
Defunct museums
![](../I/CamelfordStationMastersHouseCornwall.jpg.webp)
The former British Cycling Museum at Camelford Station
- Barnes Museum of Cinematography, St Ives[3][4]
- British Cycling Museum, Camelford Station, Camelford[5]
- Cornwall Geological Museum, Penzance
- Trevarno. Closed in 2012. Included National Museum of Gardening, gardens, woodland walks, a sub-tropical conservatory
- Trinity House National Lighthouse Museum, Penzance
See also
![]() |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Museums in Cornwall. |
- List of farms in Cornwall
- List of places in Cornwall
- List of windmills in Cornwall
- Visitor attractions in Cornwall
References
- "Smugglers' Museum". Retrieved 14 April 2010.
- Taylor, James The Maritime Trust silver jubilee, 1969-1994. Maritime Trust
- Barnes, John Barnes Museum of Cinematography: catalogue of the collection. Saint Ives: Barnes Museum of Cinematography, 1967- (planned in 6 parts but only two published; John Barnes, b. 1920, was the author of many works on cinematography)
- Barnes, John The Barnes Collection: archives of the Barnes Museum of Cinematography. (printed for private circulation)
- Closed until further notice (05 Jan 2010)
Further reading
- Nankivell, Florence (1962), "List of Cornish Museums" (PDF), Cornish Archaeology, 1: 99–101, archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-01-04
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