Collections
Museum Collections in Cornwall
Cornwall’s museum collections range from the prehistoric to the present day and from simple fishing weights to paintings of international repute. The extraordinary scope, depth, the variety of artefacts and objects are a truly rich resource that reflects the lives of ordinary and extraordinary people of Cornwall, their environment, occupations and domestic lives.
The collections also mirror the geological diversity of Cornwall and the resulting natural life that brings so many visitors here. They signal the unique role Cornwall has played in the scientific and industrial revolutions of Britain and show why large parts of Cornwall have World Heritage Site Status in recognition of the region’s internationally significant mining heritage.
The Telegraph Museum Porthcurno holds a unique collection that brings to life an important part of world communication history centred in a remote Cornish valley. The core collection and archive has been awarded ‘Designated’ status in recognition of their national and international importance.
The artefacts and specimens collected from around the world by Cornish men and women reveal the many experiences and interests of the Cornish and their wish to share their knowledge with others. They indicate the inspiration Cornwall has provided to the many artists that have lived in, worked in or visited the duchy.
Key to the Past – Cornwall Collections
Cornwall’s museum collections relate closely to its historic environment and are critical to the unique sense of place and distinctive cultural identity shared by Cornish communities. The interplay of geology, agriculture, maritime location and rich mineral wealth has created archaeology, buildings, settlements, historic landscapes and seascapes of international, national and local significance (HE White Paper – Historic Environment). There are over 56,000 historic building, site, monument and landscape records in the Council’s Historic Environment Record, including details of the largest number of statutorily protected Heritage Assets in any Unitary Council area.
Cornwall’s museums look after unique collections of local, national and international importance.
Cornwall Museums Partnership provides support for museums to help maintain and exceed Accreditation standards (see Museum Development) and is running a new collections-focused training programme at Wheal Martyn museum for museums across Cornwall.
By investing in research and scholarship the Partnership aims to engage audiences with compelling stories about our collections for visitors to enjoy, share and be inspired by.
Collections Management and Collections Care Support
Since 2015 Wheal Martyn, St Austell has taken on the role as a base for collections management and collections care training and support. With support from Arts Council England, Jo Moore, the curator at Wheal Martyn is seconded to the role of Collections Co-ordinator for the partnership, providing a Cornwall-wide training programme. As Wheal Martyn works to tackle its own collections management and conservation challenges museums across Cornwall have an opportunity to learn from what is being undertaken through a series of training sessions as well as on-site support from the Collections Co-ordinator in their own museums, should they require it. Plans to reduce the backlogs and conserve various artefacts from the collection at Wheal Martyn are being implemented and this experience will be used to help other museums in tackling similar challenges.
Support and guidance in collections management and care will be offered by Wheal Martyn, in conjunction with the regional SWMDP Conservation Development Officer, Helena Jaeschke.
Jo began in 2015 by identifying, via a simple survey, the key topics with which museums require support and the way in which this support can best be given. Based on findings from the survey a programme of support has been put together.
Training Sessions
A range of training sessions are being offered between 2015 and 2018, both in-house and by visiting experts, focusing on different aspects of collections care and management. Notes from the training courses arranged in 2015/16 can be found by clicking on the links below:
Storage and Basic handling of Works of Art (24 November 2015)
Understanding and Conserving Historic Ironwork (9 March 2016)
Iron treatment (9 March 2016)
Recommended Materials for Metalwork (9 March 2016)
Introduction to Documentation (10 March 2016)
Example Condition Report (10 March)
Other Documentation resources from this training course can be found on the SW Federation of Museums and Art Galleries website.
Details of future training courses will be circulated widely, both by email and by the CMP newsletter, as well as on this page.
Site Visits
Jo is also available for site visits to individual museums, either for purely collections management support or, with Helena Jaeschke, for combined collections care and collections management advice. These latter visits will be preceded by a simple questionnaire and will help museums to develop a Collections Action Plan, enabling them to prioritise their resources in a more effective and holistic way. Jo will be contacting museums who have requested site visits to arrange a convenient date.
Remote Support
Jo is also able to give support via email or telephone – please see below for Jo’s contact details.
In addition Jo will lead a working group of Curators across Cornwall, who will gather to share best practice and support each other in tackling their own issues, as well as considering wider subjects such as Cornwall’s collection storage challenges. Volunteers will also be recruited to work on collections at Wheal Martyn.
For more information please contact Jo Moore at:
Specialist Network
We are supporting the development of 3 Subject Specialist Networks
Artistic Heritage
Penlee House Gallery and Museum
Industrial Heritage
Maritime Heritage
National Maritime Museum Cornwall