There are plenty of ways to get involved with the history and archaeology of Cornwall. Why not visit a museum or join an archaeological society?
Many Portable Antiquities Scheme finds can be seen on display at museums around the county (see the links that accompany the descriptions below).
Museums
Bodmin Keep: Cornwall’s Army Museum
The museum has a large collection of over 12,000 items, most of which are on display. The collection tells many stories of battle and of the lives and bravery of individual soldiers. There are numerous works of art which illustrate the battle stories, over 80 uniforms from Napoleonic times to the modern day, hundreds of medals awarded for the brave deeds carried out in wartime through the ages and numerous works of art, sculpture and decorative art.
The museum houses one of the largest social history collections in the South West, and ranges from archaeological evidence of the earliest settlers to the Lizard Peninsula, to a fully stocked 1950s kitchen. The museum also holds PAS finds such as this beautiful silver-gilt, Post-Medieval dress hook (CORN-1EF551) and a decorated blue annular glass bead from the Iron Age or Roman period (CORN-8D8D30).
Explore 1000s of historical objects from both Cornwall and the rest of the world, along with one of the county’s finest art collections. Many PAS finds are on display in this museum including the St. Buryan Hoard of Bronze Age items (CORN-37D710) and the silver seal matrix of Thurston of Treago (CORN-622F61).
Societies and Organisations
A list of local history and archaeological societies in Cornwall is maintained by Local History Online here.
Cornwall Archaeological Society – For over 50 years our Society has been the principal archaeological organization in Cornwall and Scilly. The Society acts as the forum that brings together amateur archaeologists, professional archaeologists and all those interested in Cornwall’s past and the preservation of its archaeological heritage.
