Top Things to do in Cornwall
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Things to do in Cornwall, England: The Best Museums
Cornwall is the extreme southwestern peninsula of England. It has the longest stretch of continuous coastline in Britain and it is one of the sunniest areas in the UK. With picturesque villages, Celtic ruins, light blue waters, gardens and parks and unique architecture it certainly is among the most scenic areas of England. Home of many events and festivals and the land of Cornish pasty, it is definitely worth visiting.
Restaurants in Cornwall
1. King Edward Mine Museum
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 143 reviews
The award winning King Edward Mine Museum which specialises in the mining history of Cornwall. The mine dates from the 19th century and most of the equipment in the mill has been restored to working order.The buildings are all Grade II* listed and are of National importance. The site is part of the World Heritage Area of Cornwall. The Museum is open during the summer - see website for opening times.
Reviewed By Smudgynasher7
Personal 2 hour tour with lots of interesting detail and demonstrations about the tin mining process. Well worth a visit. Probably suit 10 year old plus.
2. Davidstow Airfield & Cornwall At War Museum
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 948 reviews
Reviewed By Q3397AZamandaw - Luton, United Kingdom
2nd time visiting this little gem of a museum- this time with grandparents and children in tow ! It didn’t disappoint- something for all ages. The weather did us in though- despite the offer of coats from the guardroom ! All the staff were as welcoming as ever- never fear - we will be back !!
3. Cornwall's Regimental Museum
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 152 reviews
Explore one of Bodmin’s most imposing historic buildings, Bodmin Keep. Discover a warm welcome at Cornwall’s Regimental Museum, a fun and friendly attraction, suitable for all the family. Open 7 days a week during school holidays. Situated close to Bodmin & Wenford Railway, we house one of the finest military collections in the South West. Our displays include uniforms through the ages, paintings and decorative arts, superb medals, an outstanding collection of weaponry and a few surprises! Join us for one of our many events, or just come along to browse our collection. While you're here why not have a go at our museum quiz, or give the bugle a go! ENTRANCE RATES 2018 All paid entry includes an annual pass, including adults, children, family passes and railway discounts. • Adults – £6 • Ages 6 – 16 years – £2 • Ages 5 and under – FREE • Family Pass (2 adults and up to 4 children): £15 • Dogs – FREE. We are proud to be a dog friendly attraction and dogs are welcome
Reviewed By Hunrosa2019 - Truro, United Kingdom
Following the loss of our dog yesterday, we decided (my partner & I) to keep busy. We wanted to stay local and this military Museum was on the to do list. The museum is dog friendly including all the internal rooms which i found welcoming. The museum itself is set across two floors and has a wonderful military war timeline the exhibitions and items on display were of great quality and such a vast array of memorabilia. There is an entire floor of historical military weapons and of medals Including the Victoria Cross of which all the present and on display. I was surprised to find for half term (I have no children so I was not aware!) That the museum was free of charge for entry!! I was a little disappointed at this especially as £6 per person (adult) was such a minimum entrance fee for such a fascinating and beautiful collection in a real Army Barracks. However we did make some donations and purchased a couple of items out of the shop. (However even if the museum only charged £1 per person as a promotion- it was incredibly busy yesterday and they could’ve made little bit of money, anyway I’m not the CEO or business manager!!) I must add, the lady who was working on the entrance/shop was incredibly friendly, heartwarming, informative and very helpful. Randomly, on leaving the museum my dog needed the toilet! I had her deposit in a little bag. I did search the entire external grounds for a bin and couldn’t find one. However on stopping a member of staff they didn’t hesitate to take this bag of doggy deposit from me to dispose of it on my behalf. I found the very grateful and such a nice gesture. They also have an antique shop of books which sells simple refreshments on a honesty box service, I really liked the fact that wonderful drinks and flavours were on offer and not just Pepsi et cetera. We spent several hours throughout the museum however my only tiny tiny criticism would be, ensure there is a notice/sign saying this way to 2nd floor as we completely missed this entrance/staircase and only on returning to the lovely lady she commented on both floors and we realised we had still another floor to visit! Overall, I will absolutely be visiting this museum again. We were due to also visit the town Museum yesterday however spent the entire day simply enjoying, learning and invoking memories of my service time within this museum. It’s a must visit place!!! 10/10.
4. Museum of Cornish Life, Helston
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 218 reviews
Explore 19th and 20th century Cornish culture and industry in the heart of Helston. Browse our spectacular collections housed in Helston's historic market buildings - much bigger than it looks from the outside! Explore the way our grandparents and parents lived and wonder at the way things were done only a few years ago. "A Treasure Trove of Memories and Curiosities!"
Reviewed By trazza22
Brilliant and free! My 7 year old loved the pumpkin quiz and the toy section. The wedding dresses and old medicines were also great. We had a lovely morning looking around and the staff were lovely and friendly too. A huge plus was that it is dog friendly.
5. Cornwall Aviation Heritage Centre
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 616 reviews
A great family tourist attraction. Informative - and interesting aviation heritage and activity museum. Ideal for young and old. Indoor and outdoor exhibits. Sit inside the cockpits of some fantastic aircraft...
Reviewed By glyn84 - Stoke-on-Trent, United Kingdom
Excellent place to spend a few hours looking at the aviation exhibition with very knowledgeable and friendly volunteers to explain the aircraft, even able to sit in the cockpits of quite a few even an amazing cold war Lightning to see .
6. Padstow Lifeboat Station
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 41 reviews
Reviewed By mrsdancingqueen
Stunning views from this Lifeboat Station connecting to beautiful coastal walks. The Station is staffed by welcoming personnel who happily and proudly inform all comers about the Life Boat - its crew and the job they do. Children love the experience The Boat is launched 6pm every Wednesday- a sight not to be missed . Be sure to leave a donation on your way out - the RNLI is fully funded by public donations.
7. Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,487 reviews
Timed tickets are required. Please book in advance from website. The Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden contains the largest group of Hepworth's works, permanently on display where she lived and worked from 1949 until 1975.
Reviewed By RedJock
Lovely little sculpture garden in the middle of St Ives with some amazing sculptures set in a lovely garden.
8. Mary Newmans Cottage
9. Pirate's Quest
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 551 reviews
Book online now to guarantee date an entry time of your choice. Pirate’s Quest, Newquay is an immersive walk-through experience which combines talented theatrical actors, amazing special effects, and detailed 360⁰ sets in an authentic, atmospheric adventure. A LIVE Pirate Guide will lead you through realistic scenes on an hour-long voyage into the history of piracy. Be transported to the 1700’s and learn about the REAL Caribbean Pirates! A real LIVE Pirate will help you escape a shipwreck then lead you through the mystical caves and murky streets of eighteenth century Cornwall to the crew’s recruitment base; Blackbeard’s Tavern. Eventually you’ll arrive at the Captain’s Ship, ready to set sail to the Caribbean. Feel, hear, smell, and see Cornwall’s intriguing legends and exciting history in an adventure the whole family can enjoy together.
Reviewed By Z8553QOdaves
Took my 4.5 year old daughter, we were led around by Redbeard and another whose name I didn't get (sorry!). Well worth the drive to Newquay - well told stories and information about the history of pirates in Cornwall and around the region, and a lot of fun to boot. Even the scary bit was fun - my daughter was scared but hasn't stopped talking excitedly about it since! One word of caution - it's definitely more of a storytelling show than a "museum" or similar, but that doesn't detract from how much fun it is with kids. Thumbs up!
10. Royal Cornwall Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 304 reviews
Explore 1000s of historical objects from both Cornwall and the rest of the world, along with one of the county's finest art collections. Also open on Bank Holidays, and on Sundays in August.
Reviewed By 832gerryp - Tavistock, United Kingdom
Sadly the museum is currently closed for repair work but as they say about the V & A cafe, great cafe with rather a nice museum attached. Have been to the museum many times & the permanent collection is great as are the temporary exhibitions. Looking forward to the reopening. The cafe is on2 levels with 2 serving areas with good range of hot drinks & cakes & varied lunch menu. An additional bonus is the art shop at the back of the cafe which in addition to artists' materials has a great stock of unusual toys & games & stationery.
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