Cornwall Falmouth The National Maritime Museum

FALMOUTH NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM

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Falmouth on the south coast of Cornwall is a busy yachting centre as well as having a ship repair facility at Falmouth Docks. During the season Cruise liners will call and Royal Navy and RFA vessels of all types are frequent visitors for repairs and maintenance.

Plan your visit you could take in a boat trip on Enterprise Boats from the Prince of Wales quay to Truro or National Trust gardens at Trelissick.

Falmouth is the third largest natural deep-water harbour in the world. Since 1931, Rio de Janeiro has had its statue of Christ. Since 1973, Sydney has had its Opera House. From Summer 2002, Falmouth at last has an icon to match its location.

"An Experience as big as the Sea" is how this brand new attraction is being described, and an experience is what it promises to deliver, whether for maritime experts or novices, adults or children, locals or visitors to the region.

Coming close on the heels of the Eden Project, its opening has further cemented Cornwall's growing reputation as an international destination, offering an extended range of quality, year round attractions to complement the region's unique heritage, culture, cuisine and natural environment. National Maritime Museum Cornwall is not only a landmark, but also a watermark - reflecting Falmouth's position as one of the world's premier harbours and sailing venues. 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. It will include restaurants, shops and cafes. Also under development is an off-site boat store and restoration facility plus a Park and Ride / Park and Float scheme. The magnificent harbourside building is designed by award winning architects Long & Kentish to blend with and enhance the surroundings. Its exterior oak-cladding reflects the history of wooden boat sheds in the area, whilst its shape, form and orientation take full account of its location between Falmouth's historic buildings and the ships and warehouses to be found in the docks. Internally, the 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 are 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 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.

The Museum looks on to Events Square the centre for many activites in Falmouth including the Oyster Festival, Tall Ship celebrations Falmouth Classics Week and others.  A Listing of the programme for Events Square for visitors to Falmouth.

Check out the events at the National Maritime Museaum on the Cornwall Calendar.