New Year, New Adventures: Find Inspiration for 2026 Resolutions at the Museum

A new year is the perfect moment to reset, reflect and try something new. Whether your resolutions are about taking more care of the planet, trying something new or giving back to your community, we’ve got some ideas and inspiration to help you keep them.

Here are five meaningful ways a visit to the Museum can help turn your New Year’s resolutions into reality.

Be Inspired for Your Next Beach Clean

If caring for the environment is high on your list this year, start your journey in the Tidal Zone, where two powerful new installations shine a spotlight on marine plastic pollution and its impact on our oceans and coastal communities.

‘Whale in the Room’ by Andre Kong Studio is a striking installation created using 380 kilograms of marine debris retrieved from Cornish waters by Clean Ocean Sailing. Confronting and thought-provoking, it highlights the scale of the problem facing our seas.

Alongside it, the ‘Bottle Top Chain’ by Cornwall Plastic Pollution Coalition forms part of a remarkable chain made from over 65,000 bottle tops, all collected by volunteers from Cornish beaches. Together, these installations offer a powerful reminder that collective action can make a real difference – and may just inspire your next beach clean.

Take Up Surfing

Why not make this the year you get in the sea? Immerse yourself in the SURF! exhibition and explore over 100 years of waveriding in Cornwall. From the pioneers who first embraced the waves to the vibrant surf culture of today, SURF! captures the spirit, skill and freedom of life on the water.

It’s the perfect place to spark your motivation, whether you’re planning to catch your very first wave or simply want to reconnect with Cornwall’s deep surf heritage.

Sort Out Old Photo Albums: Share Your Surfing Memories

This year, turn nostalgia into something special by taking part in Surfing Memories, a unique community exhibition in the Balcony Gallery.

Surfing Memories celebrates the shared experiences of surfing holidays in Cornwall across generations – from vintage boards and black-and-white snaps to colourful family beach days in more recent years. It’s a joyful mix of laughter, adventure, hardship and hope.

‘Belly Board Surfing at Harlyn Bay’ Courtesy of John Banks and Adrian Symons, Harlyn Bay, 1960s

We’re inviting you to dig out your photographs and help us create a living album of Cornwall’s coastal memories. If you’ve got snapshots of seaside trips, surfing holidays or beach days from any era, we’d love to see them and include them in this eclectic, community-led exhibition.

Try Something New

Looking to shake up your routine? Deep Blue Silent Disco Yoga offers a truly unique experience. Enjoy exclusive after-hours access to the SURF! exhibition and flow through an uplifting, ocean-inspired yoga session surrounded by maritime heritage and stunning views of Falmouth Harbour. With silent disco headphones delivering curated music and live instruction, you’ll move in your own personal sound world. Suitable for all levels, it’s a chance to connect breath, movement and tide in a calm yet energising setting.

Deep Blue Silent Disco Yoga, Alicia Ray. Image: Rich Lacey.

Or take creative inspiration to try something new from exhibition How Painting Changed My Life, a display of work by local artist Jane Southern took up painting just five years ago, following a series of traumatic and sad events in her life. With no formal training in painting or drawing, she turned to art as a way of coping. Learning to paint offered Jane a vital distraction from grief and a creative outlet that brought comfort during an otherwise overwhelming time.

Painting by Jane Southern

Give Back: Volunteer with Us

Volunteering is a powerful resolution and our volunteers are at the heart of everything we do. From welcoming visitors to building boats and supporting exhibitions and events, they play a vital role across the Museum.

We’re always keen to welcome new volunteers and encourage enquiries from everyone. By joining our crew, you’ll meet new people, develop skills and help share Cornwall’s rich maritime heritage with others.

Make This the Year You Dive In

However you’re hoping to shape the year ahead, National Maritime Museum Cornwall is here to inspire curiosity, connection and change. From environmental action and creative reflection to movement, memories and community, start your 2026 here.