Museum
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Cornwall
a tour by Robert and Patricia Foulke down the cower srairs co peer out, spotting some shrimp and crabs igainst the glass. Inside, visitors walk through a large doo r and see four boats suspended from the ceiling and more on th e fl oor, all visible from va rio us angles-there is a ramp climbing up a curved wall resembling a shi 's side. T he design and sec-up of the buildin g itยงel provides an effective atmosphere for visitors co learn the story of boats, their impact on people who used chem , whether for work or pleasure. T he concept of a museum, located on land chat was once sea, was a challenge welco med by M.J. Long, che architect. A small-boat sailor herself, she immediately felt committed to the proj ect: "It is a belief of mine chat good buildings come out of complicated situations with a lot of co nstraints. Yo u can settle for a boring building limited by the co nstraints. Or yo u can say chis is an opportuniry to invent something." Planners add, "As well as the main galleries, smaller, intimate spaces house exhibits which explain the mysteries of navigation, boat co nstruction , and cell the stories of Cornwall's marriage to th e sea. Inside visitors can sail model boats whil e outside, the real thing is moored off their pontoons. From th e tower we enjoyed a wide view of Falmouth H arbor and its various bays. Our trek cook us up and downstairs (th ere is an elevator) to see a number of gal leries. In the Waterfront gallery pool yo u can sail model boats 39cm (1.3 ft) long. They tack and jibe against a fan-generated wind, so yo u can begin learn ing sail theory here. Yo u can use an interactive couch-screen in the Boacbuilding Gallery to learn why a very heavy mast will make a small boat capsize. Ocher gal leries deal with every aspect of the wo rld of boats, from hydrodynamics to epicsmall-boacvoyages. Workshops on weather, oceanography, and other maritime topics are conducted in the Learning Center.
The Robertson Packet Ship Gallery cells the older story of Falmouth seafaring. In 1689 packet ships started carrying mail to Falmouth, and the port remained dominant in communications with the British Empi re throughout the 18th and halfof the 19th centuries. Most packets were brigantines, and there's a replica of a packet ship 's cabin in the gallery. T he famo us boats keep arri vin g. Prince Philip donated Blue Bottle co the collection. T his Dragon class yacht was a bronze medal winner at the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne and then served for forty yea rs at the Royal Naval Coll ege in Dartmouth. Fricka, an 18 95 ]-class racing yacht designed by William Fife, now resides in the Sec Sail Gallery. Outside Robin KnoxReflecting on the inspiration of the museum itself, we sensed overtones of nauti cal Johnscon 's wo rld-circling Suhaili is on classics such as Jerome K. Jerome's Three Men in a Boat and Kenneth G ral1ame's loan as a floating exhibit-except when The Wind in the Willows, which Graham wro te while living in Falmouth : "The she and her skipper disappear for a cruise. Rat said nothing, but stooped and unfastened a rope and With its genero us inventory of boats hauled on it; then lightly stepped into a little boat which co rotate in and out of exhibits, the the Mole had not observed. It was painted blue museum was designed to change and outside and white within ... and the evolve from the outset. That conceptMole's whole heart went out to it at combined with a harbor-front location once, even though he did not yet and commitm ent co innovation-almost understand its uses. " That quotaguarantees chat it will become one of the tion expresses the wide appeal mupreeminent maritime museums in the seum planners seek, noting chat world . Grahame "understood that even .t people who don't know a luff from a Robert and Patricia Foulke have written lugger are seduced by the romance of boats. They have a universal appeal, three travel booksfor the Day Trip Series by stretching back to a childhood fascination with water and things that float, the Globe Pequot Press. Robert Foulke also why and when of the tides, or how sailors know where to go ." - R.F., P.F. wrote The Sea Voyage N arracive reviewed on page 47 ofthis issue.
SEA HISTORY 105, AUTUMN 2003
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