About the museum
The building that houses the museum is a museum piece in its own right. Dating from 1745 it was part of a boat builder's yard that at one time extended to the far corner of the cliff. It was built straight into the rock face that you can see behind the kitchen dresser. When it was first built, boats were constructed on the ground floor, while the first floor was the carpenter’s workshop and the top floor was used as a store. As the boatyard became more successful the yard expanded outwards and was a hive of activity for many years.
When the last boat builder to work in this building, Arthur Frazier, retired, he kindly offered to sell the building to the museum at a reduced cost and thanks to the generosity of a local benefactor, Mrs Matson, the museum trustees were able to acquire the building for future generations.
Most of the roof supports are spars from old revenue-dodgers, refitted or broken up: the tools on display and the lathe upstairs, with its hand-turned wheel, built their replacements. Elsewhere in the museum, a wider picture emerges of life in Mevagissey through a broad collection of artifacts.
On display are larger exhibits such as the apple crusher and cider press, an original horse-drawn, rotating barley thresher, and a perfectly detailed Cornish kitchen with a working cloam oven. There is also a wonderful collection of photographs depicting village life in the 19th and 20th centuries, as well as many other small exhibits that perfectly depict life in Mevagissey over the years.
The public car parks on River Street and Church Street are within walking distance of the museum. The ground floor is suitable for wheelchairs and there is a stairlift to the first floor. The museum is within easy distance of shops, pubs, and cafes.
