Ahoy matey! (National Maritime Museum (Falmouth))

Member Name: werewolf2

Product:	National Maritime Museum (Falmouth)
Date:	10/11/07 (66 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: able to visit more than once over 12 month period

Disadvantages: dark in places not enough seating near boat lake

National Maritime Museum, Discovery Quay, Falmouth Cornwall is open daily 10 till 5 according to the Cornwall 07 Guide www.theguide-cornwall.com leaflet that we picked up whilst in Cornwall. Open 7 days a week except Christmas Day and Boxing Day, according to King Harry's Cornwall 2007 Guidebook www.kingharryscornwall.co.uk. This book also told me about Park and Ride or Park and Float options, between May and September, which have discounted entry fees to the museum.

Price to get in was £7.50 per adult, which is valid for 12 months from issue date if signed. Children, concessions and families may differ. We did not get charged for baby Mark so children under a certain age do not pay.
For more details: Tel 01326 313388 or website www.nmmc.co.uk. Please note that I have not checked this website out.

How to get there:
300 metres from train station - follow brown signs.
By road, follow signs from A39 Falmouth. There is a short stay car park nearby (has Tesco Express adjacent to it) and longer stay car parks nearby. We were in the short stay car park and it was very convenient, and cost no more than £2 or £3 for 3 hours.
When we first entered the museum, a guide explained where everything was and what was available - Richard mistook her for a person who was going to give us a guided tour, as she spoke at length about what facilities were where and gave advice on what to see or do. There is a ramp taking you past Cornish model and full-scale boats, but this area was very dark and I struggled to see properly as my reaction glasses were changing from sunglasses to ordinary glasses. If you wear this type of glasses, I recommend that you stand at the bottom and allow time for your glasses to adjust - which I did not do.

We did not experience any on the day we went but apparently on a regular basis they have talks or films in an afternoon or evening, which may cost £3.50 per person for the films, but most items are included in the ticket price. Half term activities are also often available - unsure if included in price, as not half term when we went.
The museum is located in Falmouth's harbour with plenty of hands on attractions. It included a display of crazy items and people who adventured on the sea, including a bathtub, which was rowed across the English Channel! At one place there is a boat workshop where you can see them making or mending a boat and also see them being built or restored in another workshop via webcam, which Richard, my boyfriend's best mate, found fascinating.

There is a gallery named Falmouth Gallery, which incorporates an old curiosity shop with displays of the weird and wonderful items brought back from around the world. Look out for the 2-headed pickled pig!
This museum has apparently got Europe's only natural underwater tidal zone. This tidal zone, with underwater viewing of low, medium and high tide was of most interest to my boyfriend Robert and his mate Richard. For kids, there was a board explaining what you might see and you could move pictures of what you did see from the sides of the board onto the picture of the sea. An explanation of what each animal or fish was listed on the board too. It was very educational but fun, too. Either a spiral staircase or the lookout tower lift accesses this area.

The lookout tower has a decent but small lift, which comfortably held 4 adults and a 3wheeler pushchair. The doors open either side, depending on the floor that you are trying to enter. The tower, which we visited first from the lift, had breathtaking views over the Harbour, where you can glimpse Pendennis Castle (English Heritage) on the horizon to your right, if you have the lift behind you. Binoculars were available, although not sure if a cost was involved, and a guide to ask, if you want to know more.
There was a café on the 2nd floor (accessible by 1 larger lift or the lookout tower lift then a ramp), this had windows looking out over the harbour and was very clean and had pleasant staff. We bought 2 hot drinks, 2 snacks (flapjack and cake) for £4.50, and they provided Michelle, Richard's girlfriend, with hot water in a metal jug to warm the baby's bottle. I cannot comment on the toilet facilities as I did not use them myself but Michelle stated that they were clean and that the baby changing facilities on this floor were of a high standard of cleanliness and had all the right equipment.

Robert and Richard really enjoyed the radio-controlled sailing boats on the ground floor. You put 50p in a token machine (per boat), then chose a boat from 7 or 8 options (2 or 4 sails and all different colours), pop your token in and away you sail around the course. Watch out for islands, according to Robert they jump out and hit your boat or bite! My only gripe about this area was that there was not enough seating. Michelle, baby Mark and I sat on the only seat and didn't get very good views. It was well lit and there was another guide there to assist with problems, ask advice, who seemed to be there to prevent the theft of the boats. Richard said that there was no point stealing the boat, as you could not use it without the controller, which was attached to the side of the boating lake. I suppose some might want to try to put them on display, but they were quite big to hide!!!!!!!!!
We spent several hours in this facility and went back in later that day to see the difference in the tidal zone area, and for Robert and Richard to have yet another play on the model boats.

If you like boats, or need somewhere undercover due to inclement weather, this museum is good value, especially if you are able to visit again during the year, as they have different displays on throughout the year, according to their leaflets.
I would imagine if Mark had been older, he would have really enjoyed this as there were the boats to play with, the binoculars to use, various areas had boards to move items about or try things out. I noticed that one area you could try your hand at creating knots!

Great interactive museum - shame it is so far away and we probably won't get chance to revisit within the year.
Werewolf 2

Summary: great place to visit in good/bad weather for kids and adults alike