
Looking Back: 2023 at the Museum of Cornish Life
2023 has been a bumper year for the Museum of Cornish Life. Here’s a round-up of some 2023 highlights in numbers…
In the Museum 2023
- More than 18,000 people visited the museum
- Over 800 pupils have taken part in schools workshops
- We worked and collaborated with 45 freelance artists, archaeologists and performers across our exhibitions and engagement programmes
- 8 temporary exhibitions and 8 online exhibition tours
- 2 festivals, Animate Helston in February and Helston Makes It! in September
Behind the Scenes 2023
- 1 Esmée Fairbairn Collections Funded project ‘Farmers will like it’ addressing Cornish farming heritage started
- Over 60 volunteers have helped welcome visitors, care for the collection and supported learning
- Funding secured from the Dennis Myner Charitable Trust to install a mezzanine storage area to help better care for our important costume collection
- £185,000 secured from Arts Council England to undertake maintenance and repair works to the building and instal insulation to make the building more sustainable moving forward
Museum of Cornish Life Team 2023
- Over 10,000 hours dedicated by museums team of over 60 volunteers
- 1 Museum Assistant (Collections) on a work placement from University of Exeter, 1 Museum Assistant (Engagement) undertaking a marketing assistant apprenticeship at Truro College, and 1 archaeological finds intern employed all as part of our commitment to supporting career progression
- 1 Finds Liaison Officer delivering the work of the Portable Antiquities scheme across Cornwall
- 1 Community Engagement Curator funded through mc7 a collaborative museum in Cornwall project funded by Arts Council England helping to undertake a range of projects in the community
- 1 Research Curator leading research and collections work supported by Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund,
- 2 young people supported on internships from University of Plymouth, 5 young people supported on placement projects from University of Exeter.
The Museum in the Community 2023
- 1,098 people of all ages have participated in off-site activities including Finds days, memory cafes and digital dial-ins to care homes
- 5 young people supported to undertake Duke of Edinburgh and 4 young people on work experience
- 1 animated film made by pupils from Porthleven Primary School to screen at the Animation Festival
- 1 new chapter to our Cornish Life Stories looking at WW2
- A new film called High Days and Holidays as part of a multi-museum project called Hireth creating films designed to generate conversations and memories with a focus on people in settings such as care homes
The Museum as a Charity in 2023
- Over £12,000 raised through donations in the museum
- Over £15,000 raised in income through purchases in the shop
- £3000 secured from Art Fund to deliver the ‘Wild Escapes’ to deliver an exhibition and community programme inspired by birds
- £478 from FEAST to present the exhibition Overrated Cornwall
- £1000 legacy received helping to support the museum
- £5500 donated by MWJV to share our photographic collection and commission a new Cornish Life Stories
- As part of a collaborative project called mc7 we have secured from Arts Council £8o,000 a year for three years to invest into the museum