Penzance Tourist Information

Penzance is situated at the northwest corner of mount's Bay facing St. Michael's Mount. Penzance is a bustling town and harbour and has Cornwall's only promenade; the climate here is so mild that palm trees and tropical plants thrive.Humphry Davy, the pioneer of electrochemistry and inventor of the life saving miners safety lamp, was the son of a local woodcarver. You can see a statue in his honour holding the lamp outside Market House.

Chapel Street has some fine buildings, including interesting Egyptian House, built in 1835 to house a geological museum, the project was abandoned until its restoration some twenty-five years ago.

Trinity House National Lighthouse Museum - A hands-on museum of the world's finest collection of lighthouse equipment, consisting of giant optical lenses and fog signals. A video theatre traces the 400-year-old history of maritime safety, and reconstructed quarters demonstrate the living conditions of a lighthouse keeper.

Penlee House Museum - West Cornwall's centre for art and heritage, features the biggest collection of Newlyn School paintings, the museum also shows arts and crafts, archaeology, social history and photographic archive.

Cornwall Geological Museum - Cornwall's own 'Earth Story', Cornish and world wide mineral gallery. 400million years of Cornwall's past in one building.

Chysauster Ancient Village is a deserted Romano-Cornish settlement of 8 well preserved houses each comprising a number of rooms around an open 'court'.

Trengwainton - Large woodland and stream garden with rich collection of rhododendrons, magnolias and camellias. Series of walled gardens containing many unusual shrubs, which cannot be grown outside elsewhere on mainland Britain.

Trereife Garden - 18th century formal and walled garden being restored with parterres and fountains. Magnificent collection of Camellias and Magnolias surrounding 18th century clay lined pond.