Say Porthcurno and most people think of a gorgeous beach or the Minack Theatre. Say Telegraph and most people think of a broadsheet newspaper or an archaic communications device. Say WW2 concrete bunker and most people switch off entirely.
But it really is worth ignoring any pre-formed impressions and visiting this wonderful museum. Porthcurno is an extremely important site because it was from this beach that the first transatlantic cables were laid in 1865. The museum tells the story of Cable and Wireless in this remote corner of England. It is housed not in the highly visible building but in the vast underground concrete bunker built in 1941 to protect Cable and Wireless operations (which were of course an obvious enemy target.)
This museum is so much more than a bunch of machines: it is as much a vivid exhibition of local history featuring the people who lived and worked here. And there are a load of interactive displays to keep the kids amused for at least a couple of hours. Parking isn't a problem - the huge Porthcurno car park is right next door - and there's even a little cafe just over the road.
