Are you looking for a day out in Cornwall that offers incredible value and endless exploration? An Annual Pass for National Maritime Museum Cornwall provides an experience that goes beyond a single visit. Here are things to remember about your annual pass – and a few reasons to come back and visit us again soon.
1. Year-round Adventure
When you purchase admission to the Museum, you’ll receive an annual pass that means you can return as many times as you like within 12 months (although don’t forget we’re closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day). We invite you to return and discover something new with each visit.
2. Family Fun: Free Activities in the School Holidays
Keep children entertained during school holidays with our exciting range of activities included in your admission, let their imaginations go wild – plus under 5’s are free:
- There are creative crafting workshops, interactive play zones & immersive dressing-up experiences designed to delight.
- From February Half-Term the fun kicks in with a bang! The Science of the Sea will keep young explorers entertained with performance dates throughout the week.
- Easter brings crafting and take-home activities while the Summer holidays will see a spectacular show in The Boat Hall for visitors to enjoy.
- In October Half-Term things get a little spooky with creative activities to join in with as the days grow darker.
- At Christmas, there’s a boatload of festive treats and activities to enjoy including a Museum trail to discover all things Christmas in Cornwall and some seasonal surprises – watch this space!
3. A Destination for All Seasons
Whether the sky is overcast and drizzling or the sun is shining, the Museum is here for your rainy-day indoor adventure or a cool refreshing break from the beach.
One of the museum’s much-loved features is the Tidal Zone, where nature’s rhythms come alive before your eyes. If you first visit us during low tide, make sure to return when the water has risen and watch how things transform with the ebb and flow of the tide.
For the ultimate panoramic Falmouth experience, climb to the top of the Lookout Tower where each season offers a distinct perspective of the harbour. In the winter, see the
dramatic seascape with its stormy waves and sheltering boats. In the peak summer months, enjoy a vibrant scene of boats, sailors, and activity bustling below!
4. Café with Harbour Views
Drop anchor in our café for unbeatable views of the harbour and Falmouth. Stocked with a range of meals, snacks and drinks there’s no better place to drink in the view and with admission, you can pop in whenever you like.
5. Exhibitions: Something New to Discover
Throughout the year the Museum hosts changing exhibitions in The Bridge Gallery and blockbuster exhibitions in The Hold. Keep an eye out for the latest temporary and blockbuster exhibitions in our What’s On guide.
In 2025 a brand-new exhibition will be making waves at the Museum as we welcome SURF! 100 years of Waveriding in Cornwall to The Hold. Alongside the new exhibition there’s an exciting programme of events and an inspiring Spring lecture series ‘Surf Pioneers’.
6. Explore at your own pace: Don’t miss a thing
If you didn’t quite make it around the whole Museum in your first visit, don’t worry! Relax in the knowledge that you can come back another day and discover our exhibitions and collections at your own pace.
7. New objects, stories and works in progress
The Museum is regularly adding to its collection. Pop back to see our newest objects on display and the wonderful stories behind them in our Falmouth Gallery, Cornwall and The Sea Gallery, Cornish Quayside Gallery. Our Boatbuilding volunteers are busy in the workshop and every week you can pop in to see progress on the latest project.
8. Bartlett Library: A Maritime Research Haven
Discover The Bartlett Maritime Research Centre and Library, stacked to the brim with maritime literature; it’s a wonderful resource for information and research. With volunteers on hand to provide help, we welcome the public and private researchers to explore.
9. Your Admission Supports Us
If all that wasn’t enough, your admission fee is invested back into the museum to enhance and grow our work. Unlike national museums, we don’t receive regular government funding so your admission directly supports:
- Family learning activities
- Award-winning education programmes
- Boat building and conservation efforts
- Preservation of Cornwall’s rich maritime history
Embark on a year-long journey of discovery at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall – where every visit tells a story, and adventure awaits around every corner.
