Newly opened stunning high tech museum telling the story of local girl Emily Hobhouse. Emily is primarily remembered for bringing to the attention of the British public, and working to change, the deprived conditions inside the British concentration camps in South Africa built to incarcerate Boer and African Woman and Children during the Boer War. Emily’s home The Rectory is fully restored to the Victorian era. Don’t miss the restaurant the food is stunning and so is the building. Huge glass window looking into the garden where they grow all the vegetables . We took a chance and got in but I’d advise pre booking. They are doing a soft opening at present it will get busier. In the War Rooms museum you get a headset and it takes you through a very thought provoking journey of about one and a half hours. The Rectory takes up to an hour to visit. We enjoyed dressing up and taking photos in the attic. This is the only place photographs are allowed inside. In both The War Rooms and The Rectory they give you shoes to wear ( bowling type shoes in the War Rooms and Slip ons in The Rectory ). I personally wouldn’t take children under ten. Everything is done to very high standards. It’s a unique place we found very interesting. The staff were amazing, friendly, helpful and full of knowledge.

An amazing day from start to finish we were welcomed by well informed hosts whose only aim was to help us get the most from our visit. The fresh bread and olive vinaigrette was a nice touch. The restoration of the Rectory is incredible; done with utmost respect to the era and knowledge of Emily’s family home gained through extensive research. As you walk through the house you are able to interact with all the items which make for a far more personal experience than many National Trust houses where many exhibits are behind ropes with ‘do not touch’ signs everywhere. The War Rooms give you an insight into the true impact of the Boer War through VR technology and animations. Many of Emily’s thoughts and words are as true today as they were all those years ago. We ate some beautiful food in a stunning restaurant overlooking the garden which supplies some of the vegetables for the chefs to use in the South African heritage food. All in all a fabulous day - we ended up upgrading from a day ticket to an annual pass which allows unlimited access for to coming year.

This was a wonderful trip back in time, stepping into the shoes of those who have gone before us and learning about The Second Boer war and the enormous impact a Cornish woman had on the families impacted thousands of miles away. Beautifully recreated, stunningly restored, and technologically advanced enough to keep us transfixed from the outset it appealed to the ex-Africa dweller in me, the feminist in me and the humanitarians in both me and my husband. Worth every penny if the admittance fee, we will return and look forward to seeing its future evolution, though it was beautifully polished and ready for visitors now. A rare opportunity to visit somewhere that gets it right from the moment you arrive until you leave. Staff and friendly and knowledgeable and seem happy in their roles. They all went well above and beyond expectations, as did the whole visit. Thank you.

This was my third visit to this exceptional museum. Hardly a museum, more a unique experience. The restored house is merely an introduction to the amazing woman ...Emily.... who is a loved legend in South Africa. To explain just what to expect when visiting the War Rooms would be to spoil the experience which awaits. On each of my three visits I have experienced something different and learnt even more of the history and work of the lady who fought for the women and children who suffered during the Boer war. No expense has been spared in renovation to an extremely high standard. Likewise all the staff are trained to a high standard. Knowledgable, friendly and professional. Delightful garden and grounds, good cafe with interesting South African menu.

What an amazing place! Everything has been thoroughly about and created to a high finish. The childhood home of Emily Hobhouse has been lovingly and faithfully restored and you can wander around freely. You swap your shoes for Victorian slippers (or wear shoe coverings), pop on an audio headset and away you go. Everything is rich, it’s like stepping back in time. This alone is wonderful BUT the War Rooms is on a whole new level. I have never experienced anything like it. It’s an immersive experience where you are guided through lots of immersive spaces, for example a South African verandah, a train carriage, a study… at each space the story plays out in front of you in a multimedia experience. You wear a headset (nothing covering your eyes, just headphones) and swap your shoes for South African boots. It’s an amazing way to learn about the story and a truly unique experience. I learnt SO much. What an incredible true-story. There’s also an amazing-looking restaurant on-site serving South African cuisine (as well as cakes and coffee). I originally thought the price was expensive, but o genuinely think it’s a bargain for what you get- the experience is incredible. (Not for small children though)

Wow! What an amazing story and location. The Story of Emily tells the story of Emily Hobhouse, an astonishing Cornishwoman who was written out of history. As daughter of the local vicar, we started our visit in the rectory, Emily’s family home which has been loving restored. Aside from the Victorian slippers that we all wore and the headsets, it’s very much what you would expect from an historic house, complete with dress up opportunities for both big and little visitors. But nothing prepared me for the day’s highlight: the War Museum. Emily has been described as the Florence Nightingale of the Boar War, so the War Museum takes us to South Africa at the turn of the century. Walking around we forgot that we were in a corrugated iron building in Cornwall as we stepped onto a warm verandah with real trees, and daylight where we removed our headsets and we’re served coffee and a snack. In another room we found ourselves on a train as Emily journeyed to South Africa and we heard her words as we felt the train juddering and the landscape flew by the window. The concentration camp room was particularly poignant, as we saw rows upon rows of white tents that stretched as far as the eye could see, cleverly done with the use of mirrors. The 1 hour, 45 min experience took in the House of Commons; we flicked through the water colour paintings that Emily painted, documenting the atrocities; and saw her funeral procession. This is going to become one of Cornwall’s top attractions and I’d advise people to visit before it becomes too popular.

This was a fantastic experience. It is so beautifully done. The Rectory is one thing but the story of the Boer war and Emily 's part blew me away. It brought me to tears. This has to be a must do experience of the UK, let alone Cornwall.

We were nearly put off by the cost but are so glad that we decided to visit. The house, war rooms and restaurant are all done to an incredibly high standard, with helpful staff everywhere we went. For us, the war rooms were the highlight. An interactive experience which is second to none with Emily's story brought to life using the best of technology. We didn't know her story before visiting. What an inspiring lady!

Emotionally Draining - The Story Centered on the British South African War of a Remarkable Woman. Whilst described as an interpretive centre, Emily Hobhouse 'story', without doubt a remarkable woman's life, and is elsewhere commended for the work of a 'multi-talented team', we were privileged to see it through the eyes of one of the architects involved in the research, planning and design of the buildings. Enter the restaurant area and you are presented with an expansive view up to the restored home Hobhouse was raised. You are looking through the biggest single pane of glass in the world the width exceeds 72'! Imagine the logistics of transporting to the site? The structure of the War Museum employs some equally imaginative ideas, one of which was to capture elements of the climate of a Boer highveld farm in South Africa. Whilst it is near 60 years of leaving South Africa, a place my American born 19 year old grandfather enlisted at Fort Napier with the Imperial Hospital Corp, and I was raised on works of Churchill, Spionkop, the "concentration camp" was first in this war of 1899-1902. Emily's story is compelling. The restaurant with its South African flavour is creative and delish, a must to include in your experience. Pass it up and you will not know what you missed. The place is, as others have described it, "a masterpiece".