| Museums
and Art Galleries
In Cornwall
If
you like museums, then there are many to
choose from. The Royal Cornwall Museum located
near Truro is Cornwall’s oldest and most
prestigious museum, famed for its
internationally important displays including a
wealth of minerals, an unwrapped mummy,
Cornwall culture and a collection of Newlyn
School paintings in the Fine and Decorative
Arts gallery. The museum presents an exciting
range of changing exhibitions throughout the
year together with an extensive educational
programme for all the family.
With
such an important maritime history, it is not
surprise that Cornwall has some excellent
Maritime museums, including Charlestown
Shipwreck and Heritage Centre, near St Austell
which
has the largest private collection of
Shipwreck and historical artefacts on public
display in Europe, or the National Maritime
Museum in Falmouth .
Cornwall
has played a major part in the development of
tele-communications and if you are interested
in this subject, why not visit the Porthcurno
Telegraph Museum. In
1870 engineers began laying an undersea
telegraph cable network from Porthcurno's
sandy beach which transformed the speed of
communication to the British Empire and
beyond. By WWII, the communications centre at
Porthcurnohad become so important that it was
moved into a bomb proof, underground building.
There
are also many fine art galleries in Cornwall
including the Tate Gallery and many private
and public art galleries
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Bodmin
Jail
Bodmin
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If
you fancy a ‘day inside’ with a
difference, then Bodmin Gaol could be
the answer ! The granite jail,
built by Napoleonic prisoners of war,
dates back to around 1778. When Bodmin
rose to be the county town of
Cornwall
in 1836, it became the
County
Prison
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The jail was undoubtedly a gruesome
place in those days, with cramped, cold
and damp conditions, painful treatment
at the stocks and a fair chance of
becoming a latter day local attraction
whilst being publicly hanged. In 1862
public hangings ceased but they carried
on executing prisoners inside the jail
until 1909. Apparently, the jail is
haunted and appeared on Living TV's 'Most
Haunted' series – one wonders why
given that 55 prisoners were executed at
the jail during it's 150 year history !
The prison closed in 1927 and today the
jail is open to the public as a museum
and aside from exhibits which recreate
the lives of 18th century
prisoners, there are modern touches such
as a bar, a restaurant and gift shop.
Photo provided by The
Cowell Family.
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Military
Museum
Bodmin
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The
Military Museum, located at The Keep in
Bodmin, houses Coins, Medals,
Fine Art, Insignia, Uniforms and other
exhibits which record the military
history of the Duke of Cornwall's
Light Infantry, formed in 1702. The
museum records the history of the
regiment from formation, the capture of
Gibraltar in 1704 through to World War
II. The Duke of Cornwall's Light
Infantry was amalgamated with the
Somerset Light Infantry in 1959 to form
The Somerset and Cornwall Light Infantry
and the Bodmin Military Museum is now
part of a network of light infnatry
military museums around the country .
The
history of the regiment is available
on the internet and a visit to the
museum will bring this history alive.
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Jamaica
Inn
Bolventor
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Known all around the world as the setting and
insiration for Daphne du Maurier's
fourth novel, " Jamaica Inn", this
attraction is a must for anyone with an
interest in the work of Daphne du
Maurier. The storyline of the novel was
hatched some years after Daphne and her
friend Foy Quiller Couch went
riding on Bodmin Moor whilst staying at
the 18th century coaching house and got
lost due to bad weather conditions.
Sheltering for some time in a derelict
cottage must have left interesting
memories which later came to life on the
pages of her famous novel. One doubts
whether Jamaica Inn would be an
attraction as such had it not been for
Daphne du Maurer but for over 200 years
it has been a welcome resting
place for travellers crossing Bodmin
Moor between Launceston and Bodmin - and
it is said, a hiding place for smuggled
contraband, incuding rum from which it
is thought the name of the pub derives.
Jamaica Inn is one of the most extensive
museums dedicated to Daphne du Maurier
and to smuggling and worth a visit if
you are interested in either subject. We
are able to provide tours to Jamaica Inn
as part of our Daphne du Maurier
discovery tour which runs each week.
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British
Cycling Museum
Camelford
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The British Cycling Museum is a must for
anyone interested in the history of
cycling over the past 125 years. The
museum is aptly located in an old
Victorian railway station in Camelford.
The museum opened in 1992, the
passion of an enthusiast that had
amassed a large collection of cycling
equipment and memorabilia. With over
400 cycles, over 1000 cycling medals and
badges and an old cycle repair
workshop, it is no wonder that the
museum attracts enthusiasts from all
over the world. There is also
an extensive library of books, pictures,
cycle lamps and other memorabilia.
Normally open Sunday -
Thursday and at other times, The British
Cycling Museum does not have it's own
website but can be contacted on 01840
212811
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Charlestown
Shipwreck & Heritage Museum
Charlestown
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Beside
the Wave Gallery
Falmouth
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Falmouth
Art Gallery
Falmouth
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National
Maritime Museum
Falmouth
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Fowey
Museum
Fowey
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Lostwithiel
Museum
Lostwithiel
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Mevagissey
Museum
Mevagissey
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Badcock's
Gallery
Newlyn
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Newlyn
Art Gallery
Newlyn
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Padstow
Museum
Padstow
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Steam
Pottery & Gallery
Pendeen
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Cornwall
Geological Museum
Penzance
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Penlee
House
Penzance
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Penzance
Lighthouse Centre
Penzance
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Polperro
Heritage Museum of Smuggling &
Fishing
Polperro
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Porthcurno
Telegraph Museum
Porthcurno
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The
Net Loft Gallery
Porthleven
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Saffron
Art Gallery
St Agnes
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St
Agnes Museum
St Agnes
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Mid-Cornwall
Galleries
St Blazey
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Tate
Gallery
St Ives
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Glass
House Gallery
Truro
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Lemon
Street Gallery
Truro
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Royal
Cornwall Museum
Truro
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Tregony
Gallery
Truro
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Veryan
Galleries
Truro
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Tristan's
Gallery
Wadebridge
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The
China Clay Museum
Wheal Martyn
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Wayside
Folk Museum
Zennor
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