The Memory Café offers a chance to chat over a cup of tea and biscuits, take part in some creative activities and visit our beautiful clay works, nestled in woodland and historic industrial buildings - a real breath of fresh air!  

Each week we welcome both new and familiar faces to our session. We vary the activities, sometimes inviting guests in to provide entertainment, including local musicians or gentle exercise activities. We mix this up with sessions that explore a topic through conversations, craft activities and games like bingo and quizzes.   

We hold our Memory Café on the 2nd and 4th Monday of each month, from 2.00-3.45pm. 

Please note that we do not hold our Memory Cafe during School Holidays as our Learning Space tends to be filled with families doing craft activities! 

Our dates for the Spring & Summer 2026 are as follows:

• Monday 9 March
• Monday 23 March
• Monday 27 April
• Monday 11 May
• Monday 8 June
• Monday 22 June
• Monday 15 July

Contact Gemma Martin to find out more and to register for the Memory Café. 

Tel: 01726 850362 or email [email protected]

A bit of background on our Memory Café

The Memory Cafe at Wheal Martyn Clay Works is a relaxed place for people living with dementia or memory loss and their carers, friends or family.  It is a comfortable place to meet, socialise, get support and share information.

The free sessions are light hearted and fun.  Each session focuses on a different topic with a creative activity that links with the topic. The activities are designed to be stimulating, to use different senses and encourage cognitive functioning.

There is never any pressure to join in with activities - some may want to join in while others may be happy to watch, enjoying a chat or simply taking a moment to sit back.

There will be plenty of time for a cup of tea and biscuits, a chance to connect with others, have a chat and share experiences.

Carers will be welcome to go off for a walk or visit the museum if they feel it is appropriate for their situation. We can also offer advice about activities to try at home.

Access

Our Memory Cafe takes place in the Learning Space, a bright and airy room which can be accessed by a lift, or via stairs. You may find it easier to park in our Coach Parking area and walk up through the site to the room. The route takes approximately 5 minutes to walk, and includes a slope and some uneven cobbles. If you require assistance, please go to the main Museum Entrance and ask at the Reception Desk - one of our team will be very happy to help and can escort you to some reserved parking with easier access.

  

Reminiscence activity - film about Wheal Martyn

In this film, we explore objects from our collection relating to china clay mining and transportation. You can explore, pause, rewind, or fast forward this short film, which has been designed for reminiscence activities. It can be used by anyone.

This film is one in a series of five, made at other museums across Cornwall. To see all five films, select the Hireth: Remember Together playlist.

Hireth: Remember Together is a collaborative project between these five museums and Cornwall Museums Partnership. We want our collections to be available and accessible to people from all backgrounds. We hope these films can support reminiscence activities in care homes and other settings when it’s not possible to arrange an outreach visit or a trip to the museum.

Please share feedback or your experiences in the comments, or get in touch with us. We also offer facilitated sessions, so please contact us if this is of interest. You can email or call Gemma Martin on [email protected]

These films are beautifully narrated by Susanna Webster and were produced by Lightbox Film Co, with the support of Cornwall Museums Partnership. We are grateful to the generous support of both the D’Oyly Carte Trust and the Headley Trust for funding this project.