Special Exhibitions
‘From Great Beginnings to the 21st Century' 15 Feb - Sept 2014 exhibits paintings, sculpture and ceramics which were originally collected for schoolchildren in Cornwall with the help of Dame Barbara Hepworth in the 1960s and thanks to a generous anonymous benefactor. Artists such as Bernard Leach, Jacob Epstein and Anthony Frost are featured in the collection which now numbers over 100 pieces.
Terrain
Exhibition on until 27 Feb 2015
This exhibition features work by a potter, a ceramic sculptor, a painter and a photographer, brought together to explore the geology and minerals beneath the surface of Cornwall.
Five Gold Rings
On display from 22 Nov, throughout Christmas
From Roman to modern times, a display of five gold rings in the Treasure display at the Royal Cornwall Museum.
The 12 Days of Christmas at the Royal Cornwall Museum
‘Make and Take' family activities on Saturday 20 December
Get creative at the Royal Cornwall Museum with special crafty activities for under 5s and over 5s (and their carers).
Further information and booking details will be available at www.royalcornwallmuseum.org.uk or contact 01872 272205 / [email protected]
Talks and Lectures
Treasure Tour
On Thursday 18th September join us for a free Lunchtime Walk and Talk and handling session from 1-2pm. Take a tour of Treasures in the museum with Anna Tyacke, Portable Antiquities Scheme Finds Liason Officer.
Being Human: A Festival of the Humanities . 17th November 1pm. Public talk by Dr. Chloe Preedy: 'Sir Walter Raleigh at Sea: Pirates, Conquerors, and Community'. This talk reflects upon how those living in coastal communities imaginatively conceptualise their relationship with the sea. It will focus on the Cornwall-based pirate, courtier and poet Sir Walter Raleigh, whose reputation as a colonial hero was informed by his maritime fame in a way that connected the imposition or establishment of "civilised" values with control over the sea. Beginning with a discussion of Raleigh's self-presentation in his poem Ocean to Cynthia, this talk will then explore how modern representations of Raleigh perpetuate this association and the implications of this for our relationship with the sea.
Public talk by Dr. Christopher Stokes: 'Landscape and Lyric', 18th November 1pm. This talk will draw on archival material to see how Cornish place, landscape and seascape were represented in nature poetry, particularly during the great flowering of Romantic landscape poetry in the 18th and 19th century. It will consider questions such as how Cornish landscape became an object for the prominent discourses of the time (beautiful, picturesque, sublime), how Cornish poets and poets writing about Cornwall relate to the canonical figures like Wordsworth, and what, if anything, is uniquely ‘Cornish' about these texts.
Public talk by Dr. Andy McInnes: 'Cornish Wonder: Portraiture, Celebrity, Interiority' 19th November 1pm. This talk explores the connections between painting portraits, being a celebrity, and domestic space in the late-18thC and early-19thC. Taking the 'Cornish Wonder' John Opie as its focus, it uses his 'Lectures on Painting' together with his wife Amelia Opie's 'Memoir' to think about the links between Cornwall and London, fame and interior space, particularly with respect to the relationship between portraitist and sitter. Delivered in partnership with the University of Exeter. Talks will take place at the museum. Entry to the Museum on these days is free for everyone.
RIC Members Day - Saturday 22nd November
Every year the Museum holds a special day for its Members. As well as the Annual General Meeting and the Autumn Lecture, Members have the opportunity to see 'behind the scenes', enjoy special displays and meet staff and other Members. RIC Members' Day. To include the AGM and RIC Autumn Lecture. Details to be confirmed.
Admission to the Museum is free for everyone aged 18 and under, Members of the RIC, Museums Association and Art Fund members. Adult admission is £4.50 for an annual pass - pay once and visit for free all year.
Opening times: Mon-Sat 10am-4.45pm except Bank Holidays. Please note the Museum will also be closed on 31st December and 2nd January.
