It is often believed that Falmouth must be older than Penryn, but as the stories in the museum tell, Penryn has a history that goes back far further, although the two are linked mainly due to the Killigrew family.

Penryn is surrounded by the evidence of ancient settlements in the areas of St Gluvias, known as Bohelland and Round Ring, and at Tremough. The area was included as part of the manor of Treliver in the 1086 Domesday Book, with the town of Penryn being officially formed in 1216.

A centre piece to the museum are the old fire engines and stories of the town's fire service. These are surrounded by displays about Penryn's history. When the space was a market hall, customers would have been served through the windows that have now been turned into display spaces. One of the biggest displays includes the history of Glasney College, which was a centre of religious learning and central to the Cornish language for nearly three hundred years, from 1265 until the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the 1540’s. A popular display is Posted in Penryn, about the town’s postal service over time. There is also a lot of information about the granite industry which was essentially Penryn and the surrounding area's version of mining in the 19th and 20th centuries.

New for 2026 is the story of Robert Johns of Penryn and Sir John Franklin’s Doomed Arctic Expedition. A fascinating and slightly harrowing story about a ship that went missing and the story of the crew uncovered slowly.

Some popular interactive things in the museum include the audio chair, where visitors can sit and listen to recordings of past residents reminiscing about the town. There is also a working automaton that won Penryn's Arts Festival in 2013. For children visiting the museum there is an activity book, the Marmaduke Trail. Anyone who finds the pictures of Marmaduke the Mouse will receive a small souvenir prize. There is also the Penryn Museum Quiz Booklet as a useful aid for finding and learning various facts.

Penryn Museum is run by a team of dedicated volunteers, who all do their bit to ensure that the museum is open and able to provide answers to questions. Their duties range from greeting visitors of all ages, maintaining the museum and its archives, completing research projects and creating engaging content. There are currently developments for a new website and social media page to help share the range of information available about Penryn and its history.

The displays all happen because of the hard work from the volunteer team who give a lot of their time, both inside and outside of the museum, to creating the best experience they can for all. As well as a few new faces recently joining the team, Shirley Richards, who was caretaker for Penryn Town Council for more than forty years and helped to maintain the museum and its archives, has continued her work as a volunteer. The museum has also appointed a new Education Officer and Press Officer to help promote the museum.

Penryn Museum is open 10am - 3.30pm Mondays to Thursdays and 10am-1pm on Fridays. Entry is free. It is always worth a visit, or several, as there seems to be something new to discover every time.

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