Cornwall Museum & Art Gallery is the newly transformed museum in the heart of the Cornwall’s capital city, Truro (once the Royal Cornwall Museum). Experience Cornwall through the art, objects and artefacts that tell the story of our past: it is the definitive destination for Cornish art, artefacts, history, nature and culture. A recent winner of Kids in Museum’s Family Friendly Museum Award (and that was before the recent major upgrade!) Cornwall Museum & Art Gallery treads a brilliant line between informative and fun.

Enter first the new Heart of Cornwall Gallery. Here you can discover the people, powers, and places that helped shaped Cornwall as we know it today, and unpick the myths and legends that define this wild place on the edge.

Either side of this central gallery, the new Mineral and Nature Galleries offer immersive, family-friendly visitor experiences centred on playful exploration, which include audio and film elements to bring the collections to life. The museum has a Sensory Trail developed in partnership with The Sensory Trust, and younger visitors will love getting stuck into dressing up, games, and the regular ‘make and take’ activities on offer.

Alongside the large number of works from the permanent collection going on display in March there will be a busy programme of art exhibitions, beginning with Kurt Jackson’s Biodiversity and continuing with Exploring Time: A Painter’s Perspective by artist and environmentalist, Tony Foster.  There are also over 500 artworks in the permanent collection dating from the 1300s to the present day, so art lovers will need few excuses for regular visits to soak up works from the German, Italian and Dutch renaissances, English history and landscape paintings, the Pre-Raphaelite and Newlyn schools, and St Ives modernism.

There’s a wheelchair and buggy ramp, a lift, changing facilities and a welcoming team of staff and volunteers to help you get the most out of your visit. The whole family will love the wonderful café and art shop next door, and the historic building is close to Truro train and bus stations as well as major car parks.

During the school holidays, expect a host of free activities – from trails and challenges to children’s theatre and workshops. Admission is just £10 for adults for an annual pass, under 18s go free – reopens 1 March 2025.