Cornwall Museum and Art Gallery

Truro's main museum sits in the heart of the city, and it's a proper showcase of what makes Cornwall tick. You'll find everything from Bronze Age finds to Victorian paintings, plus a decent collection of contemporary work that actually holds your attention. The gallery side focuses on Cornish artists and regional pieces - nothing revolutionary, but it gives real flavour to the landscape and people you've been driving past.

HistoryBuffs and art types will spend a solid couple of hours here. Families with younger kids might find an hour enough unless there's a special exhibition on. The museum tells the story of Cornwall's fishing heritage, mining past, and cultural identity without being preachy about it. Entry is free, which means you can dip in and out without guilt.

If you're camping nearby - and there are several decent options within five or six miles, from Carnon Downs right up to Trethem Mill - this is worth a rainy afternoon or a morning before heading to the coast. Truro itself is walkable and has decent cafés, so you can make a proper day of it. Don't expect blockbuster exhibitions, but what's here feels genuinely local rather than assembled for tourists. It's the kind of stop that explains why people actually live here, rather than just visit.