23.10.06
Second phase of maritime museum's face-lift underway

This month the Maritime Museum moves into the second exciting phase of its planned building improvements with changes to the front of the building and the Falmouth gallery.

In a direct response to visitors' comments, the Museum is incorporating a number of changes to its galleries, exhibitions and exterior frontage. With the first phase of work successfully completed earlier in the year, Phase 2 starts on Monday 30 October with completion forecast for mid December.

One of the most obvious of these changes will be noticed before you even step through the door as the front of the building itself will receive a face-lift. With more windows, a stylish canopy, a 16 square metre glass-panelled door and a number of improvements being made to the reception area, the appearance of the Museum and visibility of its entranceway will be greatly enhanced.

More changes will also be found inside the Museum. The current Robertson Packet Gallery is being re-organised, opened up and extended with a new area bringing the maritime history of Falmouth up to date.

A new glass corner cabinet, viewable from both inside and outside the gallery, will open up the Robertson Packet Gallery to the rest of the Museum. Echoing the popular model boat case that sits in the Museum's Set Sail gallery, this will display a number of models of famous vessels connected with the town: the St Denys tug, the much-loved Cutty Sark as well as a pilot gig and luggers.

The new exhibition area will first open with a display of highly-acclaimed paintings by Pierhead painter Reuben Chappell, which will be on show until March. This will be followed by a new permanent display on the maritime history of Falmouth which is being developed in conjunction with a number of local experts.

Curator, Jo Warburton says: "The Falmouth Packet Gallery is one of the high spots of the Museum. The new layout will give us the chance to enrich the story by adding many more objects.

"Our plans for the extended area are well advanced and we have some lovely ideas for ways of bringing the Falmouth story up to date; many of these will need local help to be really successful.

"The new model boat case will be the first of our new Cornish displays. We know that our visitors love model boats and our new case will show off some really good models with strong local relevance. And, once the Reuben Chappell exhibition is over we will be opening up the rest of the display."

The building work is being carried out without closing the Museum. Only the Falmouth Packet Gallery will be closed; all other areas will be open as usual. So, why not head down yourself for a peek at what's in store? By accepting to grant GiftAid on your entry ticket, you'll be able to visit the Museum as many times as you like over the following 12 months, giving you the chance to experience all these new changes as they happen.

For further information please contact Jenna Palmer of the National Maritime Museum Cornwall on 01326 214558 or email: JennaPalmer@nmmc.co.uk.

The Objective One Programme for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly has invested in the National Maritime Museum Visibility and access project through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Editor's notes:

Clare Morgan
Media Relations Manager
Objective One Partnership Office
Castle House
Pydar Street
Truro TR1 2UD
Mobile: 07973 813647
Telephone: 01872 223439

cmorgan@cornwall.gov.uk

back to top