Cornwall Museum and Art Gallery
Truro's museum of Cornish history, minerals, nature, ancient civilisations and art, run by the Royal Institution of Cornwall and home to over one million objects.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The museum is run by the Royal Institution of Cornwall, a charity founded in 1818 to promote excellence in science and art and to support the industries for which Cornwall was then known. Its collections grew over two centuries and now number more than one million objects, covering the lives of the people of Cornwall from the Bronze Age to the present, the county's geology and its wildlife. The Institution also publishes a respected academic journal that has appeared since 1864.
For almost thirty years the museum has occupied two buildings on River Street in Truro that were used together as one. Under the name Royal Cornwall Museum it showed its permanent collections in several galleries, including the Mineral Gallery, the Nature Gallery, the Heart of Cornwall Gallery, a gallery for ancient civilisations and an art gallery on the upper balconies.
In January 2024 the museum began a transformation programme to fix leaks that threatened the collections, update the visitor experience, improve accessibility and bring the art collection back into the centre of the building. As part of this it took the new name Cornwall Museum and Art Gallery. The Mineral Gallery, Nature Gallery, Heart of Cornwall and Art Gallery have been upgraded, and the museum has received National Lottery Heritage Fund support to plan a final phase that would unite the two buildings with a new welcome area and visitor route.
Highlights
- Heart of Cornwall Gallery telling the story of the county
- Mineral Gallery
- Nature Gallery
- Ancient Civilisations Gallery with the unwrapped mummy Iset-tayef nakht
- Art Gallery on the upper balconies
- Costume and photographic collections
Permanent exhibitions
- Heart of Cornwall Gallery – The history of Cornwall told through artefacts, art and photography, from the Bronze Age gold lunula to smugglers, rebellion and migration.
- Mineral Gallery – A collection of more than 12,000 mineral samples that tells of Cornwall's geology and 3,500 years of mining history.
- Ancient Civilisations Gallery – Objects from ancient cultures, including the unwrapped Egyptian mummy Iset-tayef nakht.
- Founded
- 1818
- Operated by
- Royal Institution of Cornwall
Admission & discounts
| Adults | £10 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 17 · Under 18s enter free. |
| Visitors with disabilities | –companion free · Entry for carers is free. |
| Groups | –Discounted entry for bookings of more than 10 people; self-guided group visits are arranged by email. |
The adult ticket also works as an annual pass. It gives access to the permanent collections and the exhibitions. Entry is free for carers and for holders of a Cornwall SEND card, and the museum publishes a list of other visitors eligible for free admission.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The entrance has a slope from River Street or five stone steps with a handrail, and the visitor doors open automatically. The ground floor has level access to the galleries, accessible unisex toilets and baby changing, and a lift serves the upper galleries; the lift controls have Braille signs. A wheelchair can be borrowed if reserved in advance, and folding seats are available at the welcome desk. There is no Changing Places toilet; the nearest is at the Hall for Cornwall. Videos in the Heart of Cornwall Gallery have subtitles. Sensory bags with ear defenders can be borrowed, and an access guide and sensory map are published online. Guide and assistance dogs are welcome.
Kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 17 |
|---|
- Baby changing facilities
Baby-changing facilities are on the ground floor next to the accessible toilets. Sensory bags can be borrowed at the welcome desk. Monthly workshops for home-educated children aged 5 to 15 are bookable.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Truro railway station · 10-min walk
From Truro railway station, turn left outside, walk down the hill towards the high street, and River Street is about a ten-minute walk. The Truro Park and Ride bus stops directly outside the museum.
By car
No on-site parking at the museum.
The museum has no customer parking. Visitors are advised to use the Truro Park and Ride or a local car park.
The museum is in the city centre, just off the main high street towards the railway station and Victoria Gardens. Taxis can drop off on River Street, but there is no drop-off bay outside the museum.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café
The Arts Café is connected to the museum but run as an independent business.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
- Private parties
- Corporate events
Up to 250 guests.
The whole museum can be hired exclusively for large events. The Heart of Cornwall Gallery holds 250 standing or 150 in theatre style, and there are a classroom (up to 30 children or 20 adults) and a first-floor meeting room for up to 15.
Inquiries & detailsPlan your visit
| School programs | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Dogs are welcome on the ground floor only. Groups can book self-guided visits by email, even at a few hours' notice. School workshops for Key Stages 1 and 2 cost £6.50 per pupil, and monthly sessions are held for home-educated children. |
