National Maritime Museum Cornwall- Falmouth An experience as big as the sea

The National Maritime Museum Cornwall, Falmouth is located on the harbour waterfront just a 10 minute walk from Chelsea House Hotel. It is the centrepiece of an international leisure / tourism complex, which wraps around a new waterside piazza holding up to 4,000 people, created for concerts, exhibitions and major events and includes restaurants, shops and cafes. Opening in Autumn 2002, the National Maritime Museum building has been custom-designed to bring to life the stories of boats, maritime themes and Cornwall's heritage, with an array of small and large galleries unlike no other in the world.

For the very first time visitors will be able to see and hear stories from a national collection of 150 historic and contemporary boats - with up to 40 featuring in regularly changing displays. The Cornwall Galleries will focus on the sea and how it has helped mould Cornwall's heritage, whilst 'Hands On' galleries offer a wealth of interactive displays designed to grab the attention of all types of visitor.

Set Sail

Inside Set Sail, nine boats tell their stories in an audiovisual immersive experience that will enthrall you whatever your background or interest. Film footage, sound tracks, still images and interviews with famous sailors and designers bring to life the stories of the boats and the people that use them. Experience racing in a regatta, the fury of a storm at sea, or the relaxing calm of an estuary at dawn and watch exciting footage of the canoe used in 1977 to break the world altitude canoeing record.

The Tidal Zone

The Tidal Zone of the National Maritime Museum features two large windows below sea level where you can look out into the harbour. You could catch a glimpse of a cormorant diving after a fish, see one of the seals or dolphins that sometimes visit the harbour or see what a boat looks like from under the water. You can learn more about the effects of the Moon and Sun and what causes the tides. Interactive displays also introduce some of the animals and plants that live in the estuary. This experience is unique in the British Isles.

Nav Station

This gallery is full of interactive exhibits that will give you an insight into the art of navigation and meteorology. Try your hand at steering a boat with a tiller; launch your boat against the tide and try to get to the harbour; watch a weather system pass over; find out the facts behind weather lore sayings. There is a link with the Met Office for up-to-date international weather information, while the weather station on the top of the tower of the National Maritime Museum collects data about the local conditions.

Boat Building Gallery and Workshop

How were the first boats built? What materials and tools were used? What new techniques are used today? Why does a boat float? What makes it stable in the water? How does it move along?The Boatbuilding gallery will help you answer these questions, and countless others too. Learn how a logboat is built. Investigate the different ways in which boats can be propelled through the water. See sections of a Cornish pilot gig in construction and lots more. This is the place to find ideas and innovation for new boat design. In the workshop you'll be able to watch boat builders using a variety of techniques to build, repair and restore boats, as well as talking to them about their work.

Flotilla

In this magnificent 'canyon-like' gallery, you can take a close look at a selection of boats from the collection suspended in mid-air like the world's largest boat mobile. Featured in the first year we have 27 boats reflecting the diversity of the collection - boats used for racing, work, pleasure, rescue; boats from around the world, boats designed for specific purposes, boats used by famous people. Every year the display will change to focus on a different theme and provide fresh interest for you to return again and again. Wander round the boats on the ground floor or travel along the suspended walkways which rise to the third floor, on which information points, video, and interactive screens will make the boats come alive.

Cornwall Galleries

Here you can listen to tales of the lives of Cornish fishermen in their own words. Find out how sails were traditionally made and explore how pilchards were pressed in the reconstruction of a pilchard cellar. In the Robertson Packet Ship gallery your journey will begin in a reconstruction of a packet ship cabin of 1780 and travel along a time line of world events as the packet service develops. You can discover how Cornish people have made a living from the sea, how local craft were built and who sailed in them and witness the stories of dramatic rescues off the Cornish coast.

Waterfront

On the waterfront of the National Maritime Museum Cornwall you can put theory into practice. You'll find a large pool with inbuilt fans blowing wind across the water where you can try your hand at sailing a radio-controlled boat up and down the pool, or race around a course. Staff will help you understand how to sail into, or away from the wind.
The Look-out will be a 'must see' for all visitors where a climb to the top of the tower will be rewarded with panoramic views over the docks, harbour and estuary. Using computer interactive facilities you will be able to find out about historic buildings, local landmarks, coastal features, and special events and vessels in the harbour. There are binoculars and telescopes for you to use, and a series of maps so you can build up the history of the harbour and its surroundings.

Whatever your age or interest you are sure to find something that will capture your imagination at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall - Falmouth. If you decide to visit then be sure to stay at nearby Chelsea House Hotel, where you can be assured of a warm and friendly welcome at all times.