East Looe Town Trust

Registered Charity No: 1166934

VAT Registration No: 526 8810 29

East Looe Town Trust
Guildhall
Fore Street
East Looe
Cornwall
PL13 1AA

Tel: 01503 263709
info@eastlooetowntrust.co.uk

www.eastlooetowntrust.co.uk

Museum Visitor Information

The Old Guildhall Museum & Gaol, Higher Market Street, East Looe, Cornwall PL13 1BW     (image)


We are now closed until April 2022


Admission:

Adults £2.00, Children under 18 free


Disabled access is very restricted due to the design of the building. However, the curator has collated files of information on displays on the ground floor for the use of those who cannot manage stairs.


** Volunteer Opportunities **

We are always looking for volunteers to join our museum team.

Our museum offers a welcoming, stimulating and creative museum environment in which you can learn more about the history of our town, and guide our guests to do the same. This is a great opportunity to learn new skills and also share your skills with us.

You will be given a full induction to the museum and we will give you training, where necessary, to help you develop in the role.

If this is something that interests you, or you would like to find out more, please contact the Trust Office on 01503 263709.


Reviews from our visitors

'How many museums are there like this? The range of artefacts and 'props' is amazing for such a small building. Virtually the whole historic period is covered and with special emphasis on some aspects, e.g. family history and the Second World War. Just as importantly, the staff (who I suspect are volunteers) are superb. For £1.80 (now £2) admission you could while away one or more hours.'

'I know it is a museum but I really felt I was going back in time. Not like a modern museum but more like you are close to the real Looe of old. They seem to be volunteers sharing what has been collected from the local people. Thank you.'

'A huge mine of information, and extremely interesting if you have the time to look and learn. Worth visiting more than once as you will see different things each time.'

'This stone-built building in the centre of Looe has at various times been the local gaol, the Magistrates Court and the town's Guildhall; now, it is the Town Museum and a good one it is as well. The entrance is guarded by a cannon and once inside, you realise what a treasure-trove of objects and exhibits are on show. You enter up a flight of exterior steps directly into what used to be the offices of the East Looe Town Hall and the Magistrates Court, this being on the upper floor.

There are also displays of all manner of domestic tools although the museum does concentrate, rather unsurprisingly, on the three occupations most closely associated with the town, namely boat-building, smuggling and fishing.

On the lower floor are displays of minerals, ancient finds and a few bones of ancient mastodons. The old cells are still in evidence and generally, throughout the museum, if you stroll around for a second time,you will inevitably "see" objects that you missed first time around.

A great little museum, well worth a visit, especially on a cold or wet day. I had left my camera behind when we visited, so I returned later on in the day to take the photographs when the museum was closed.'


We loved the Court plays and the whole family got dressed up and acted out all five plays. What a great way to involve our whole family young and old.

 

Our whole family loved reading the World War 2 Memories and we have bought the book to take home and share with our friends. Well done for preserving such special memories.

 

‘Such wonderful guides full of passion and knowledge

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