Top Things to do in Cornwall
The 6 Best Art Museums in Cornwall, England
Cornwall is the extreme southwestern peninsula of England. It has the longest stretch of continuous coastline in Britain and it is one of the sunniest areas in the UK. With picturesque villages, Celtic ruins, light blue waters, gardens and parks and unique architecture it certainly is among the most scenic areas of England. Home of many events and festivals and the land of Cornish pasty, it is definitely worth visiting.
Restaurants in Cornwall
1. Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,487 reviews
Timed tickets are required. Please book in advance from website. The Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden contains the largest group of Hepworth's works, permanently on display where she lived and worked from 1949 until 1975.
Reviewed By RedJock
Lovely little sculpture garden in the middle of St Ives with some amazing sculptures set in a lovely garden.
2. Falmouth Art Gallery
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 208 reviews
The award winning Falmouth Art Gallery is family friendly and free. The gallery has a vibrant and ambitious exhibitions programme. It usually stages thematic shows featuring selected works from the gallery’s collection hung alongside loans from artists, museum collections and private lenders. This means that the three exhibition rooms are constantly changing and there is always something new and exciting to enjoy. The gallery cares for an outstanding collection of over 2000 artworks that includes 19th and 20th century master painting, British Impressionist paintings, the RCPS Tuke Collection, contemporary prints, photography, automata and a children’s illustration archive. All works can be viewed on the gallery's website. Most of the collection is housed in the art stores so if you wish to see a work that is not on display please ask at the desk for a store visit. This can normally be arranged on the day but please call ahead if you are making a special visit.
Reviewed By houseofthrashion - Falmouth, United Kingdom
Visited the gallery using the free ticketed system implemented during the pandemic. This can be accessed on the gallery website homepage, although they are accepting walk ins ticketing helps them keep a track on numbers. We were welcomed in by the Director of Cultural Services who told us how they were complying with social distancing measures before introducing us to the two exhibitions which were curated entirely from the Gallery's own collection. They were activity packs for the kids which included a free rainbow pencil and rubber with activities to do at the gallery or at home.
3. Penlee House Gallery & Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 641 reviews
Penlee House Gallery & Museum is the only Cornish venue specialising in the Newlyn School and early St Ives artists (c.1880 - c.1940). This popular museum and art gallery is set in a building that was originally a Victorian family home, surrounded by a delightful sub-tropical park formed from the original garden. Changing exhibitions throughout the year celebrate the rich artistic heritage of West Cornwall.Winner of the South West Tourism Excellence Awards 2011-12 and of the Cornwall Tourism Awards 2009, 2010 and 2011 as Small Visitor Attraction of the Year. Open Monday to Saturday (Closed Sundays) throughout the year, including most Bank Holidays (closed Christmas and New Year), opening hours are 10am - 5pm during the summer (Easter to September) and 10.30 to 4.30 in the winter, with last admission half an hour before closing.
Reviewed By RichardBBath - Corston, United Kingdom
An excellent local collection, with a very good current exhibition of interiors by artists from the "Newlyn School", including some real conversation starters. The museum collection is also very good and puts a number of the local historical sites and towns into context. Well worth a visit.
4. Jackson Foundation
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 56 reviews
Nestled down a side street just off Bank Square, The Jackson Foundation is a new gallery space created by leading British contemporary artist Kurt Jackson and his wife Caroline. The gallery focuses on Kurt's engagement with the natural world and his collaborations with environmental charities and environmental groups.
Reviewed By 832gerryp - Tavistock, United Kingdom
Have visited this many times mostly with a friend but once with Cornwall Art Fund when we had the privilege of hearing Kurt Jackson talk about his work. Most folk know he is an ardent environmentalist & the one phrase that has stayed with me from his talk is "There is no away" (as in Throw it away). We get the train from Liskeard to Penzance & bus from Penzance to St Just - public transport could do with some joined-up thinking here & ensure the two dovetail particularly as the gallery will be ever more popular & hopefully more folk will embrace public transport. The gallery is a short walk from St Just bus station - a reclaimed industrial building it s airy & light with a side gallery where films can be screened (last year there was a retrospective exhibition of Kurt Jackson's father's work & an interesting film of father & son in conversation). The first floor space usually displays information about local projects connected to the current exhibition & has a small area for film. In addition to the originals, prints, books & stationery are for sale. There is no lift & no loos. If you visit in the summer St Just is en fete living up to its title St Just in Bloom. Good reasonably priced refreshments are available in the Dog & Rabbit & a fascinating bookshop/cafe which has a great selection of secondhand books including first editions & collectables.
5. Stuart House Arts and Heritage Centre
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 38 reviews
6. Tate St. Ives
Overall Ratings
3.0 based on 2,002 reviews
Timed tickets are required. Please book in advance from website. Tate St Ives features work by iconic 20th century artists who lived and worked in the town, including Alfred Wallis, Ben Nicholson and Barbara Hepworth, demonstrating the role of St Ives in the story of modern art. This is combined with a programme of large-scale seasonal shows, exhibited in our new extension. The current show in this series is Haegue Yang : Strange Attractors, which brings together new and existing works spanning installation, sculpture, drawing, collage and painting. The exhibition runs until 26th September 2021 and is the artists largest UK show to date.
Reviewed By TrailBlazer562978
Extended in 2017, Tate St Ives is a joy to wander through discovering the works of artists who joined Cornwall's artists' colonies from the late 19th century: Barbara Hepworth, Ben Nicholson, Peter Lanyon. Also, international names such as Gabo and Mondrian. Changing exibitions feature different artists. During my visit, this was Anna Boghiguian who touches several themes, always thoughtfully and skilfully. A lot to see. A cafe with great views.The Gallery, hugely successful since it first opened in 1993, can get crowded but it's big and airy - and views to the Atlantic Ocean probably mean it never feels claustrophobic. Bit pricey to enter but the guided tours are good and you can ask attendants questions and get a helpful answers.
