National Maritime Museum Cornwall

CORNWALL TOURISM AWARDS 2007 & 2008 - Large Visitor Attraction of the Year - Gold
SOUTH WEST TOURISM EXCELLENCE AWARD - Large Visitor Attraction of the Year – Gold

National Maritime Museum Cornwall is known for celebrating the sea, boats and Cornwall but the South West’s Visitor Attraction of the Year is diving even deeper and exploring Under the Sea.

Pay once, get in FREE for a year!

Dive into a world of shipwrecks, see the very first submarine, explore a human torpedo, see inside a hyperbaric chamber, experience the history of diving, delve into a diving bell and see what it takes to live, work and play in our oceans. Join us on a journey to the deep.

There is also the new Falmouth Gallery highlighting the importance of Falmouth’s maritime history, incorporating an Old Curiosity Shop, displaying weird and wonderful things that sailors traditionally brought back from far flung places around the world. You can also explore Britain’s first and last port of call and relive the heyday of Falmouth’s port from 1689 to the present day.

From the incredible success of our previous Endurance & Survival exhibition comes The Survival Zone. Focussing on the key elements of survival, food, water, warmth and the emotional strength of endurance, this exhibition will take you on a journey through the very physical and mental challenges of survival at sea. When was the last time you pushed yourself to the absolute max, tested your strength of will to carry on, persevered in the face of adversity and battled against all the odds?

And don’t forget the Museum’s ongoing boat restoration project where you can see live restorations and the study boat area giving you the chance to learn in depth about innovative and ground-breaking boats.

All this as well as breathtaking views from the 29m tower, an underwater viewing tidal zone, hands-on interactives, activities for all the family and the chance to get onto the water and discover the delights and wildlife of our coastline.

The best way to get there? By boat. Use the Park & Float and sail to the Museum in a classic ferry - there is no better way to arrive than on water (May – September)

There’s so much happening at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall, don’t miss your chance for a visit you’ll find more than you might expect.

Open daily 10-5, 7 days a week. Closed Christmas Day & Boxing Day.

T: 01326 313388 F: 01326 317878 E: enquiries@nmmc.co.uk and check out the website for the latest news on www.nmmc.co.uk.

Exhibitions and Displays currently on show:

Painter Matthieu Dorval and writer Chloé Batissou have explored coastal regions from Ireland to Galicia, Cornwall and Brittany studying maritime communities living on the edge. They have returned with paintings, sketches and watercolours, as well as words, accounts and impressions collected throughout their travels. In this captivating new exhibition they share these encounters and seek to extend ties between regions and communities bound to the ocean shoreline.

UNDER THE SEA
Journey beneath the waves with our major exhibition and dive deep into a world of shipwrecks, free diving, submarines, sport and commercial diving, physiology, underwater warfare, photography and renewable energy sources.

Submerge yourself in this epic exhibition and experience life under the sea… without even getting your feet wet!

FALMOUTH FOR ORDERS
Explore Britain’s first and last port of call, Falmouth, in our remarkable new gallery dedicated to the history and development of the town and harbour. Relive the heyday of the port’s past between 1850 and 1910 in Falmouth for Orders and see how the town has changed with a new display that completes the story of Falmouth’s development from 1688 to today.

THE SURVIVAL ZONE
When was the last time you pushed yourself to the absolute max, tested your strength of will to carry on, persevered in the face of adversity and battled against all the odds?

From the incredible success of our 2006 exhibition Endurance & Survival comes The Survival Zone. Focussing on the key elements of survival, food, water, warmth and the emotional strength of endurance, this new exhibition will take you on a journey through the very physical and mental challenges of survival at sea.

THE OLD CURIOSITY SHOP
Inspired by a late nineteenth century Falmouth store, owned and run by John Burton, The Old Curiosity Shop features weird and wonderful items brought back by sailors from around the world. Full of exciting and thought-provoking curiosities, similar to those found in Burton’s shop, it illustrates Falmouth’s position as an international maritime port.

LIGHTHOUSES: LIFE ON THE ROCKS
From February 2010 National Maritime Museum Cornwall will be shining a light on the world of lighthuses and their keepers with a major new exhibition entitled Lighthouses: Life on the Rocks. From the massive scale of these triumphs of engineering to the tall tales of the lighthouse keepers themselves, this exhibition will illuminate these incredible stories before they slip out of living memory. Opens on 6th February 2010.

Fishing in Cornwall in the Days of Sail and Oar 3 Mar-30 May
The turn of the 19th century marked the last days of fishing by sail and oar around the Cornish coast. Fortunately this period also coincided with the wider use of photography to record such work. This included snapshots of the various types of boats that were used; the catching, landing, and marketing of the fish; and the different skills necessary to support the industry. Entire village communities were involved, and the joys, sorrows, and wisdom of their inhabitants can be seen in this exhibition of images from the Pentreath Photographic Archives.

Godrevy Light - 3 June-29 August

Godrevy lighthouse is a beautiful, iconic structure which has inspired artists, photographers, poets and writers.

Husband and wife, Charles Thomas and Jessica Mann have collected artwork inspired by the lighthouse over the last 50 years. This stunning new exhibition illustrates the changing landscape of St Ives Bay over the last 100 years, from artists such as Bryan Pearce, Wilhelmena Barns-Graham and Kurt Jackson.

Pendennis Cup Exhibition - 9th - 14th August

In celebration of the second Pendennis Cup taking place during Falmouth Week, a mini superyacht exhibition will be held during the event. Visitors can enjoy images, footage and information on the yachts competing this year, as well as viewing paraphernalia from the Pendennis Shipyard archives.