Penlee House Gallery & Museum

Home of the Newlyn School

Set in a handsome Victorian house built in 1865 for the Branwell family, Penlee House Gallery & Museum sits within the sub-tropical gardens of Penlee Park, a short walk from Penzance seafront. It's home to Britain's finest public collection of Newlyn School paintings - works by the artists' colony that gathered in and around Newlyn from the late 19th into the early 20th century, drawn by the quality of light and the fishing village's ready-made subject matter. The collection includes major paintings by Stanhope Forbes, Elizabeth Forbes, Walter Langley and Norman Garstin, alongside changing exhibitions that bring the collection to new audiences throughout the year.

Penlee House is more than an art gallery, though. Its museum galleries hold 6,000 years of west Cornwall's history, from the prehistoric archaeology of the Penwith peninsula's ancient sites to more recent social history, drawing on collections from Penzance Town Council, Cornwall Council and Newlyn Art Gallery, as well as the historic holdings of the Penzance Natural History and Antiquarian Society. The museum's roots go back to 1839, making it one of the oldest collecting institutions in Cornwall, and it's now owned and run by Penzance Town Council as a focal point for the town's cultural life.

Beyond the galleries, Penlee Park itself is worth lingering in - a peaceful Victorian public garden with palm trees, a bandstand and plenty of space to sit, right in the centre of Penzance. The on-site café spills out onto a terrace overlooking the park, making Penlee House a popular stop for a coffee or lunch even for visitors who haven't come specifically for the art.

Opening Times & Ticket Prices

Open Monday to Saturday all year (including spring and summer bank holidays): 10am-5pm in summer (1 April-31 October, last admission 4.30pm), 10am-4.30pm in winter (1 November-31 March, last admission 4pm). Also open Sundays between 28 June and 27 September.

Adult £7.00

Young person (18-26) £3.50

Student (with valid ID) £4.00

Child Free

Accompanying carers Free

Free entry for Friends of Penlee House, Penzance Pass holders, Art Fund and Museums Association members, Cornwall Volunteers Scheme and Culture Card holders. Half-price admission during exhibition installation periods.