National Maritime Museum

South Cornwall


Falmouth's most high-profile museum is located on the revamped area around Discovery Quay. It's the sister outpost of the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, London, and focuses on Falmouth's history as a seafaring port, supplemented by regular nautically themed exhibitions – recent shows covered the history of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), the exploration of the Pacific and the tradition of tattooing. The centrepiece is the impressive Flotilla Gallery, where an array of small boats is suspended from the ceiling.

From the top floor of the Lookout tower, there's a 360-degree panorama across Falmouth Bay.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby South Cornwall attractions

1. Gyllyngvase Beach

0.6 MILES

The nearest beach to town is a flat sandy stretch, known to locals as Gylly. It's about half a mile south of the town centre and is backed by the popular…

2. Pendennis Castle

0.69 MILES

Designed in tandem with its sister castle in St Mawes across the estuary, this Tudor castle sits proudly on Pendennis Point, and was built as part of…

3. Swanpool Beach

1.01 MILES

South of Falmouth lies the popular beach of Swanpool, near a small inland lagoon populated by grebes, coots, ducks and mute swans. A coastal path runs…

4. St Mawes Castle

1.7 MILES

Strategically sited to command an uninterrupted field of fire over the entrance to Falmouth Bay in tandem with Pendennis Castle, on the opposite side of…

5. St Anthony's Head

2.19 MILES

The remains of a turn-of-the-century gun battery can still be seen along the point at St Anthony's Head. Just along the coast is the peninsula's 1835…

6. Maenporth Beach

2.31 MILES

Maenporth is the quietest of Falmouth's beaches, with facilities including a cafe, kayak centre and restaurant, the Cove. The 1978 wreck of the Scottish…

7. Penjerrick

2.35 MILES

Touting itself as Cornwall's 'true' jungle garden (a sly dig at Cornwall's famous Heligan gardens), this is really two gardens in one: exotic jungle…

8. Enys Gardens

2.9 MILES

The definition of a secret garden (especially since it's only open three days a week), this handsome estate is said to be one of the oldest in Cornwall –…