Cultural venues

Cultural Venues
Cornwall has long attracted creative people, and its artistic heritage is matched by an unusually lively mix of contemporary culture. Among the county's world-class cultural venues are:

Tate St Ives
One of the world's most spectacularly sited art galleries, this displays a superb collection of modern and contemporary art, much of it created by artists who have drawn inspiration from Cornwall's natural beauty. As well as mounting regular shows by leading national and international artists, Tate St Ives runs a full programme of educational activities and family-oriented events.

The Eden Project
Aptly described as 'the eighth wonder of the world', the Eden Project marries creative vision with technological genius. Inside huge 'biomes', visitors can explore faithfully recreated natural environments, including a tropical rainforest complete with rivers and waterfalls. Much more than an internationally famous tourist destination, Eden nurtures an extensive collection of rare plant species and is a unique educational resource for an ecologically threatened world. As if that weren't enough, It also provides a spectacular venue for a wide variety of musical and dramatic performances.

The National Maritime Museum Cornwall
Housed in an award-winning building on Falmouth's waterfront, this new museum celebrates mankind's long and dramatic relationship with the sea. As well a large collection of some of the world's most remarkable small boats - from dug-out canoes to high-tech racing yachts - it features an exciting range of audio-visual displays and hands-on activities that bring the challenges of seafaring vividly to life.

Hall for Cornwall, Truro
With 980 seats, Cornwall's largest indoor performance space puts on a highly varied programme that is united by two main themes: excellence and popularity. Recent performances have included the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Moscow Ballet, the Beijing Opera, the English National Opera, Coldplay and Van Morrison. The Hall for Cornwall also provides a showcase for some of Cornwall's home-grown talent, such as the nationally acclaimed Kneehigh Theatre Company.

The Minack Theatre
The Minack is just one of Cornwall's many smaller cultural venues that have something very special all of their own. Sited in the open air on the cliffs at Porthcurno, near Lands End, it hosts a 17-week season of plays and musicals by visiting theatre companies from all over the world, from May to September.

For more information please visit the Cornwall tourist board website.