from Rosie Kliskey
“This lovely old fashioned museum, housed in the town’s historic Market Buildings, is spread over five display halls on three floors, and the thousands of objects will keep you fascinated, entertained, and coming back for more!
The museum houses one of the largest social history collections in the South West, and ranges from archaeological evidence of the earliest settlers to the Lizard Peninsula, to a fully stocked 1950s kitchen. Come and learn about Helston’s famous inventor, Henry Trengrouse, whose ingenuity helped to save thousands of lives at sea. Marvel at the huge 5 ton cider press, meet Henry the parrot and see if you can spot our smallest object – made from a lion’s tooth!
The museum is renowned for its costume collection, and a regularly changing display showcases some of the elegant fashions of the past. Of course, no visit to Helston would be complete without mention of Flora Day, and the museum holds a fabulous collection of photographs of this unique custom. We also play a starring role on the day as the Midday Dance winds through the museum! Don’t miss the Flora Day clock, which for a small fee, will burst into life with a rendition of the famous Furry Dance.
There’s so much more to explore, and we welcome all ages with a programme of activities and events. There are themed quizzes throughout the year and our Cornish language trail is ‘splann!’ Our ‘Krafty Kids’ sessions run during the school holidays and for adults there are our ‘Lunchtime Lectures’ in the spring and autumn. We also host special events – check our website ‘what’s on’ page or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pintrest.
Helston Museum is managed by the Charity South Kerrier Heritage Trust, and our volunteers work hard to make sure your visit is the highlight of your holiday or day out. Entrance to the museum is FREE, but we encourage donations to keep this wonderful facility open. You can also support us by joining Para HenHellys’ our membership scheme, which gives access to behind the scenes visits and inside information from the twice yearly newsletter. Contact us for more details.
There is disabled access to all areas of the museum, however, we have sloping uneven floors. There is a lift to all floors, a disabled toilet and baby changing facilities. We welcome dogs on leads, and there is usually a dog biscuit available in the tin behind the reception desk!
We can offer guided tours, talks, reminiscence sessions and handling boxes, and have a lively education programme. Contact us for more details or to book.
The museum is open Monday to Saturday, 10am – 4pm all year round. We are closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day, Good Friday and on Flora Day. Flora Day is usually May 8th, but can vary, check with us before you visit. For more information and directions, please visit our website.”
Rosie Kliskey Marketing & Events Coordinator
Visit Helston & Helston Museum 01326 564027
www.helstonmuseum.co.uk
