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The sun shone brightly over Mevagissey as the community came together to celebrate a significant milestone for the town’s museum on Sunday.
The grand opening of the venue’s new entrance marked the beginning of an exciting 2025 season, made possible through contributions from the Shared Prosperity Fund and generous donors.
Two of CHAOS Radio’s community journalists, Janice Rose and Harley Rowlands, joined the celebrations to explore the museum’s rich history and volunteering opportunities.
For years, Mevagissey Museum has been a cornerstone of local heritage but its entrance posed a challenge. The original narrow and dimly lit entryway often left visitors unsure about what lay beyond.
Now, thanks to extensive building works, the museum boasts an open, welcoming space with double doors leading directly from the harbour, with the transformation fulfilling a long-standing dream of a dedicated team.
Jane Morgan, chair of Mevagissey Museum, told CHAOS Radio: “The new entrance makes such a big difference. Before, it was dark and uninviting, and many tourists didn’t even realise we were here. Now, we’re much more visible and accessible.”
Mevagissey Museum may be small but it has a big reputation. It was recently honoured at the Cornwall Heritage Awards, winning the Collaboration Award for its partnership with the RNLI in celebrating 200 years of lifesaving history. It was also highly commended in two other categories.
“It gives our volunteers a great sense of achievement and motivates them to keep striving for more.”
The museum is incredibly grateful for the dedication of over 30 volunteers. They take on roles such as greeting visitors, managing artefacts, merchandising, and maintaining the museum’s cleanliness. Their passion was evident as Janice and Harley watched them engaging visitors, sharing stories, and listening to personal connections to the items on display.
The museum houses countless artefacts, each telling a unique story of Mevagissey’s past. One of the most fascinating pieces is an historic Mevagissey Bank note, a reminder of the town’s once-thriving economy.
During his visit, Harley even made an unexpected discovery. While browsing the museum’s photograph collection, he found an image of the 2010 flooding of Willow Car Park and, to his surprise, his nan’s car floating on the water! That moment alone highlighted how the museum not only preserves history but provides a personal connection for locals and visitors alike.
Keeping the museum in pristine condition is no small feat. After closing for the winter season, the team undertakes a thorough deep clean. This year, the process was made especially demanding due to construction work on the new entrance. Every exhibit was carefully removed, cleaned and repositioned to ensure the museum was spotless for its reopening.
With history and heritage around every corner, we loved our visit and, in fact, Janice found it so charming that she asked Jane if she could move in! If you haven’t visited lately, head down to the museum so you too can be captivated by its charm.
If you’re interested in volunteering or exploring the rich heritage of this beautiful town, click HERE to visit their Facebook page or see mevagisseymuseum.com.
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