Cornwall Museum hits 50,000 visitors and plans next phase of works

Four years ago, Cornwall Museum and Art Gallery was facing the very real prospect of shutting its doors for good. Today it has just clocked up its 50,000th visitor of the year, almost double the figure it was pulling in back in 2022.

The Truro institution, home to more than a million artefacts, has confirmed visitor numbers have climbed from 28,000 four years ago to 50,000 in the last year, a turnaround that has coincided with a major capital investment programme and a complete rethink of how the museum presents Cornwall’s story.

A Museum Reimagined

Since being at risk of closure in 2022, the museum has redeveloped its Mineral Gallery, which holds a world-renowned collection, alongside the Heart of Cornwall Gallery and Nature Gallery. An Art Gallery has also been added in the building’s upper space.

Beyond the bricks and mortar, exhibitions have shifted focus too, with a greater emphasis on interaction and play.

Bryony Robins, Co-director for Cornwall Museum and Art Gallery, said: “From the very beginning we’ve known that the museum is not only important to the community but also plays a fundamental role as home to Cornwall’s heritage, identity and story.

“Cornwall deserves a world-class museum and the transformation and increase in visitor numbers proves that local people, schools and visitors to the area want a chance to engage with the region’s history in a meaningful way.”

What’s Actually Inside

The museum holds the largest collection of Cornish heritage, history and culture in the region. Among its more remarkable pieces are the world’s earliest example of mining, an antler pick and shovel dating back to the Bronze Age, and Bronze Age Lunulae, gold crescent-shaped neck ornaments.

Its archaeology collection is the largest assemblage of Cornish materials anywhere, spanning 400,000 years. According to the museum, the collections show wealth, skilled craftsmanship and far-reaching trade networks, dismantling the myth of Cornwall as an isolated place and instead revealing a region with its own identity, expertise and international links.

Annie Baker, a volunteer at the museum, said: “It’s been incredible to be part of the changes to the museum and we’ve seen a real shift in how visitors are engaging with the collections. The exhibitions really bring to life the many different stories of Cornwall and they give visitors a true insight into the people and places that have shaped the Cornwall we know and love today.”

£440,000 Lottery Boost for Final Phase

Earlier this year the museum was awarded £440,000 in initial support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, made possible thanks to National Lottery players. The money will be used to develop plans for the final phase of the museum’s transformation, including further upgrades to the visitor experience and works to its educational facilities.

A pre-application, the initial feasibility enquiry for the next phase of works, has already been submitted. Community consultation has also started, with further events and activities planned through the summer.

New Faces at the Top

The transformation has reached the boardroom too. The Board of Trustees, chaired by Julie Caplin-Grey, Chief Operating Officer for the Hall for Cornwall, has welcomed a number of new trustees over the last four years, bringing a mix of professional and lived experience to the table.

The museum is run under the co-leadership of Bryony and Jonathan Morton.

Jonathan said: “We’re incredibly proud of the process the museum has been through over the last four years and we couldn’t have done it without the dedication of our team and trustees.

“Hitting 50k visitors has been a key milestone for us, and we’re looking towards the final phase of transformation with renewed excitement.”