Cornwall enjoys a long and illustrious history and if you are keen on finding out more about the Duchy’s long and fascinating history then you should not miss out on a visit to Kresen Kernow, it simply means “Cornwall Centre.’
Kresen Kernow is on the site of the former crumbling shell of Redruth Brewery. The space has been carefully transformed into a state-of-the-art archive centre, it beautifully marries the historic original features and the modern contemporary interior. It currently houses the largest collection of documents, manuscripts, newspapers, books, maps, artefacts and photograph’s relating to Cornwall’s history and culture, extending back more than 850 years. It is an amazing collection and holds a wealth of stories relating to the Cornish heritage; it is well worth exploring. You could discover something fascinating about the history of Cornwall.
There is even an area dedicated to the history of the brewery and the people who worked there.
There are an incredible 14 miles of shelving to store more than 1.5 million of Cornwall’s treasured archives, dating from 1150 to present day, in this exemplary and vibrant space, it is not at all like your typical dusty archive rooms. Glass display cases in the Treasures Room allow the public to see, often for the first time, some the rarest, most precious and surprising treasures from Cornwall’s past. Treasures that have been hidden away in strongrooms for many, many years.
They operate a varied activity programme featuring workshops, educational talks, courses and fun family events with the aim of telling the ‘Story of Cornwall”, in a modern and engaging way. It allows you to consider the past in a compelling way.
Or perhaps you would like to research your family tree and history. Should you require any help here are a number of practical guides or there is help at hand.
The exhibition centre features a changing programme of temporary interesting exhibits. There are in addition plenty of interactive features that younger visitors will enjoy and learn from.
They also operate Behind the Scenes tours on certain dates during the year.
The cosy Gingko Café is a welcoming spot for some welcoming refreshments. You will find this treasure in Redruth; it is open from Tuesday to Thursday. It is undoubtedly the ideal place to dive into the realms of Cornish history. It is an absolute treasure trove of local knowledge and history.
For more information on opening times etc, please go to https://kresenkernow.org/
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 01209 614430
Address: Kresen Kernow, Little Vauxhall, Redruth TR15 1AS