Events: An Arts Tour of St. Ives
2024-10-22 10:00 - 16:00 UTC
A guided tour of St Ives, including the Arts Club, Fore St. Methodist Chapel, St Ives Museum and Porthmeor Studios.
Location: Starts at St Ives Arts Club
This tour, led by David Tovey, Art Historian, starts at St Ives Arts Club at 10 a.m. with a short lecture on the history of the club and St Ives harbour front Studios. We will then walk along the harbour front viewing the locations of studios featured in the lecture before visiting Fore Street Methodist Chapel to see the famous charcoal drawings of W.H.Y. Titcomb. A buffet lunch will be provided at Porthmeor Studios, where we will have a tour of the studios and see the film by architect, Nick Cahill, on how Porthmeor can tell the wider history of fishing, mining and art in St Ives. The tour will conclude with a visit to St. Ives Museum with an introduction to David Tovey’s exhibition ‘Capturing the Light, St Ives Artists 1885-1914’. The tour will finish at 4 p.m.
£50 (Friends) £65 (non-Friends) including lunch
BOOK HERE

FREE Public Guided Tours
2024-10-22 11:00 - 12:00
Our team of Volunteer Tour Guides will be offering insights into the current exhibition through a program of short guided tours.
Tours will be offered at 11.00 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The tours are included in the admission price to the Gallery and last between 30 and 45 minutes. No booking is required, but places are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

Arty Afternoons: Flora Rubbings
2024-10-26 14:30 - 15:30
How many different types of flowers and plants can you spy in the exhibition? Create a rubbing plate with a flora design and make a picture of rubbings from your design.

Half Term Activity: Mixed Media Landscapes
2024-10-31 13:30 - 15:30
Kurt Jackson paints beautiful local landscapes using mixed media and different textures. Take inspiration from his paintings in our current exhibition and create your own mixed-media masterpiece.

Arty Afternoons: Decorate Local Landscapes with Imaginative Flora
2024-11-02 14:30 - 15:30
Taking inspiration from the Flora exhibition, choose a photo of a local landscape and decorate it with your own imaginative ideas of how plants and flowers might grow there.
FREE family activities occur every Saturday; drop in anytime between 2.30 p.m. and 3.30 p.m.

Arty Afternoons: Mixed Media Seaweed
2024-11-09 14:30 - 15:30
See if you can find the seaweed paintings in the exhibition and create a mixed-media seaweed artwork.
FREE family activities occur every Saturday; drop in anytime between 2.30 p.m. and 3.30 p.m.

Arty Afternoons: Botanical Drawings Magnets
2024-11-16 14:30 - 15:30
Take a look at the wonderful paintings of plants, trees and flowers and learn about botanical drawing with our team. Create a beautiful botanical drawing magnet to take home and display.
FREE family activities occur every Saturday; drop in anytime between 2.30 p.m. and 3.30 p.m.

SOLD OUT Lecture: Flora 150 Years of Environmental Change in Cornwall with Kurt Jackson
2024-11-20 19:30 - 20:30
Friends of Penlee House Lecture: Flora 150 years of environmental change in Cornwall with Kurt Jackson
Join us for an insightful lecture by Kurt Jackson as he takes us on a journey through 150 years of environmental change in Cornwall through the lens of its flora. Learn about his discoveries and experiences along the way, his thoughts and meetings – what he found, saw and learnt. Along with prose and poems by the artist. This event is a must-attend for nature enthusiasts, environmentalists, and anyone interested in the history of Cornwall’s natural landscape.
Date: Wednesday 20 November 2024
Time: 7.30 pm
Don’t miss out on this opportunity to expand your knowledge and connect with like-minded individuals. See you there!
Tickets for the lecture can be booked via Eventbrite: Book Now!
Non-members: £10.00
Members: £5.00

Arty Afternoons: Wild Hedgerow Collage
2024-11-23 14:30 - 15:30
Explore the exhibition and seek out Kurt Jackson’s painting named ‘Bioblitz’. Taking inspiration from this work, create a wild hedgerow collage full of creatures and flora.
FREE family activities occur every Saturday; drop in anytime between 2.30 p.m. and 3.30 p.m.

Arty Afternoons: Mini Sketchbooks
2024-11-30 14:30 - 15:30
Make a mini sketchbook and draw your own artist responses to the Newlyn School paintings, just like Kurt Jackson in the Flora exhibition.
FREE family activities occur every Saturday; drop in anytime between 2.30 p.m. and 3.30 p.m.

Arty Afternoons: Christmas Cards
2024-12-07 14:30 - 15:30
Christmas is nearly here, and cards are to be sent! Design and make personalised Christmas cards using festive stencils.
FREE family activities occur every Saturday; drop in anytime between 2.30 p.m. and 3.30 p.m.

Arty Afternoons: Christmas Tree Decorations
2024-12-14 14:30 - 15:00
Decorate wooden hanging ornaments in traditional Christmas shapes and then hang your beautifully decorated ornaments on your tree, in windows, or around your home to spread holiday cheer!
FREE family activities occur every Saturday; drop in anytime between 2.30 p.m. and 3.30 p.m.

Arty Afternoons: Christmas Bunting
2024-12-21 14:30 - 15:30
Create vibrant and cheerful Christmas bunting using felt to enhance your holiday decorations at home!
FREE family activities occur every Saturday; drop in anytime between 2.30 p.m. and 3.30 p.m.

Arty Afternoons: Four Seasons 3D Trees
2025-01-04 14:30 - 15:30
In our exhibition about flora, you can find paintings of all four seasons – spring, summer, winter, and autumn. Come and make a 3D tree which illustrates all the seasons through colours and shapes.
FREE family activities occur every Saturday; drop in anytime between 2.30 p.m. and 3.30 p.m.

Arty Afternoons: Seaweed Collage
2025-01-11 14:30 - 15:30
Explore the paintings of seaweed and seaweed gatherers in the exhibition. Can you find the book of pressed seaweed too? Taking inspiration from the exhibition, create a seaweed mixed-media collage.
FREE family activities occur every Saturday; drop in anytime between 2.30 p.m. and 3.30 p.m.

Richard Sorrell on British Watercolour
2025-01-15 19:30 - 21:00
Join us at Penlee House Gallery & Museum for an incredible event featuring Richard Sorrell’s stunning British watercolour artworks. Get ready to immerse yourself in the beauty and intricacy of Sorrell’s work as he shares his passion for this timeless art form. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to witness the magic of British watercolours up close and personal!
Book Tickets now

Date and time

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 19:30 – 21:00 GMT

Location

Penlee House Gallery & Museum
Morrab Road Penzance TR18 4HE

Refund Policy

No Refunds

Baby Sensory
2025-01-20 10:00 - 11:30, 2025-03-03 10:00 - 11:30
Free, drop-in session for babies from birth to crawlers. Come and experience the amazing artworks whilst exploring sensory play together in the Gallery.

Arty Afternoons: Railway Poster Art
2025-02-08 14:30 - 15:30
Take a look at the colourful Great Western Railway and British Railway posters in the climate exhibition. Train travel is a great way to travel sustainably. Make your own version of the posters thinking about what a futuristic Penzance might look like.
FREE family activities take place every Saturday; drop in anytime between 2.30pm and 3.30pm

The Shape of Things: Climate films by Cornwall Climate Care
2025-02-12 19:00 - 20:30 | Penlee House Gallery & Museum, Penzance
Join us for a screening of two short climate films by Cornwall Climate Care, Under the Surface and Living on the Edge, followed by a Q&A with filmmaker Claire Wallerstein and Duncan Jones from Marine Discovery. Book now!
Under the Surface
Under the Surface is the first episode of Cornwall’s Climate Stories. Presented by beach cleaner Claire Wallerstein, it looks at how the huge rise in public awareness about the impacts of plastic pollution may have diverted attention from an even more urgent environmental problem affecting the sea – climate change. The film features interviews with marine experts talking about the impacts of a changing climate on Cornwall’s basking sharks, plankton, seals and seabirds – but also looking at positive stories about local projects to restore the marine environment, which could help to protect us from the worst effects of climate change.

Living on the Edge
Cornwall has a longer coastline and is battered by bigger waves than any county in England. The sometimes violent drama that plays out around Cornwall’s shores has always been a part of its identity.
But as climate change brings rising sea levels and worsening storms, what will this mean for Cornwall’s coastal communities?
The film is presented by passionate ultra runner Emma Hazeldine, who takes us on a journey around the Cornish coast path, visiting places that are already being impacted in sometimes surprising ways – and coming up with a range of responses to the challenges that lie just beyond the horizon.

Arty Afternoons: Rain it Raineth (almost) Everyday Rainsticks
2025-02-15 14:30 - 15:30
Come and see one of our most famous paintings. The Rain it Raineth Every Day by Norman Garstin was painted over 130 years ago and shows a familiar view of Penzance prom. Join us to make a rain stick so that you can make the sound of the rain to match the painting
FREE family activities take place every Saturday; drop in anytime between 2.30 pm and 3.30 pm.

Baby Sensory Session
2025-02-17 10:00 - 11:30

Little Penlee Explorers: Drop-in sessions for under 5s
2025-02-17 10:00 - 12:00
Join us to explore, play and create at Penlee House! With activities throughout the galleries, these free, drop-in sessions are for under 5s and their grown-ups.

Monthly on Mondays, 10 am-12 pm.

Half Term Activity: Design and make an eco-friendly, reusable fabric bag
2025-02-20 13:30 - 15:30
Thursday 20 February 1.30 -3.30pm
Be inspired by our climate-themed exhibition and the beautiful paintings of our local area. Design and make an eco-friendly, reusable fabric tote bag using colourful fabric crayons.

Arty Afternoon: Mini Hecate Goddesses
2025-02-22 14:30 - 15:30
Can you find the sculpture of the goddess Hecate in the exhibition? Look at her beautiful, colourful robe and then design and make a mini Hecate to take home.
FREE family activities take place every Saturday; drop in anytime between 2.30 pm and 3.30 pm.

LECTURE: An Introduction to the Gardener's House
2025-02-27 19:30 - 21:00
Come join the Friends of Penlee House for an engaging lecture on the fascinating history of The Gardener’s House. Discover the secrets behind this historical landmark and learn about its significance in the local community. Whether you’re a history buff or just looking for a fun evening out, this event is sure to entertain and educate. Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to delve into the past and uncover the stories hidden within The Gardener’s House.
Date: Thursday 27 Feb 2025
Time: 19:30 GMT
Location: Penlee House Gallery & Museum
Price: £7.00 for Friends of Penlee House | £15.00 for Non-Friends
Book Now!

Arty Afternoons: Make and Match Clouds
2025-03-01 14:30 - 15:30
Have you ever looked up and spotted all the different types of clouds there are in the sky? Come and make a variety of clouds then see if you can match them with the clouds in the paintings displayed in our exhibition.

FREE family activities take place every Saturday; drop in anytime between 2.30 pm and 3.30 pm.

The Shape of Things: Climate films by Cornwall Climate Care
2025-03-05 19:00 - 20:30 | Penlee House Gallery & Museum, Penzance
Join us for a screening of two short climate films by Cornwall Climate Care, Food for Thought and Power to the People, followed by a Q&A with filmmaker Claire Wallerstein and Lisa Guy, local farmer and presenter of Food for Thought. Book Now

Food for Thought
Should we all be giving up meat and dairy if we’re to have a hope of avoiding dangerous climate breakdown?
This is what the headlines seem to tell us. But is this too simplistic a picture – and what would this mean for Cornwall, where the majority of our farmland is used to raise livestock or to grow crops for these animals to eat?
Food for Thought looks at the undeniable impacts of modern animal agriculture as well as some of the incredible Cornish initiatives underway to mitigate them – and also the role that regenerative farming could play in actually combating climate change while producing nutritious food.
Presented by organic beef farmer Lisa Guy, this film aims to inspire much-needed conversation and action about a crucial subject that has become one of the most contentious within the climate debate.

Power to the People
With fantastic resources of wind, sun, tides, geothermal heat and critical minerals, Cornwall could drive the whole country’s clean energy revolution.
However, the UK’s 100-year-old grid infrastructure means this potential can’t be harnessed – while huge numbers of local people are living in poorly insulated homes they can’t afford to heat.
Power to the People explores the exciting opportunities and huge challenges facing us as we wean ourselves off fossil fuels – from a farmer who’s found a novel way to combine food production with solar panels, opportunities to use our historic heritage to power the future, and projects to harness the amazing untapped heat 5km down in the Earth’s crust.

The Shape of Things: Embroidered bees workshop with Vicky Harrison - Sold Out
2025-03-08 10:00 - 13:00
Find out about the many Cornish bee species, their importance in ecosystems and how we can help save them. Embroider a bee to be added to the community quilt currently on display in the exhibition, The Shape of Things: Our Place in a Changing Climate at Penlee House.
Please attend both weeks. If you cannot attend both weeks, please note this when booking.
Dates: Saturday 8 and 22 March 2025
Time: 10.00 am – 1.00 pm
Location: The Coach House, Penlee House
Tickets: This event is free but booking is essential

These workshops are part of an ongoing community project, Embroidered Bees for West Penwith, and bees created during the workshops will be added to the quilt after the exhibition. More information can be found here
https://www.facebook.com/groups/embroideredbees/

Arty Afternoons: Landscapes of the Future
2025-03-08 14:30 - 15:30
Explore the paintings from the collections at Penlee House that are in The Shape of Things exhibition. What would these landscapes look like in the future? Collage new ideas and future visions to the traditional landscapes.

FREE family activities take place every Saturday; drop in anytime between 2.30 pm and 3.30 pm.
