Royal Cornwall Museum
Museums & Galleries in truro
Cornwall's oldest museum — minerals, archaeology and fine art in the heart of Truro.
The Royal Cornwall Museum in Truro is the county’s oldest and most comprehensive museum, housing collections that span natural history, archaeology, fine art and world cultures. Founded in 1818 by the Royal Institution of Cornwall, the museum occupies a handsome building on River Street in the centre of the city.
The mineral gallery is a particular highlight, displaying an outstanding collection of Cornish minerals that reflects the region’s deep mining heritage. Specimens of tin, copper, fluorite and other minerals found in Cornwall’s historic mines are presented alongside geological context that explains how they formed. The archaeology galleries trace human activity in Cornwall from the Mesolithic period through the Bronze Age and into the medieval era, with artefacts recovered from sites across the county.
Upstairs, the fine art collection features works by artists connected to Cornwall, including pieces from the Newlyn School and St Ives modernists. The museum also holds a significant collection of Egyptian antiquities and ethnographic objects from around the world. Regularly changing temporary exhibitions complement the permanent displays, and the museum runs an active programme of talks, workshops and family activities throughout the year. Admission is free, making it an accessible introduction to Cornwall’s cultural and natural history.
