Cornwall Museum and Art Gallery visit

In July I popped up to Truro to visit the Cornwall Museum and Art Gallery. The main reason for my visit was to chat about potential future collaborations, working together to help provide geology and Earth science workshops hosted at the museum. I also took the opportunity to have a good look around the newly refurbished Mineral Gallery as well!

The museum, formally known as the Royal Cornwall Museum, hosts several permanent collections that help explain Cornwall, its language, Cornish identity and life in the region. One of its collections is the Mineral Gallery (obviously my favourite bit!). This was refurbished in 2024, and now exhibits thousands of rock and mineral specimens from Cornwall and around the world in beautiful and informative displays. A huge part of the display includes elements of Philip Rashleigh’s mineral collection.

If you haven’t been since the refurbishment, it is worthwhile. Lots to learn and lots of shiny rocks to look at. The museum completed a further renovation earlier this year, so even if you have been before, now is a good time to go again. I spent a good while looking around the collection!

I am hoping to help the educational team at the museum develop some geology and Earth science workshops. These will mainly be focussed on primary school level activities and topics, such as the rock cycle. We will also be helping to promote how geology has influenced Cornish culture and identity. This is most prominent with our mining industry, because without the unique geology of Cornwall we wouldn’t have it! The aim is to help people recognise the Cornwall’s rich geology and understand how it has influenced the world around us. Hopefully it will get the next generation interested in this fabulous subject, and hopefully help with the future of mining in the region.