The sea is a crucial element in Cornish life – according to the tourist brochures, nowhere in the county is more than 16 miles from salt water.

But few places can be as closely wedded to the sea – in spirit as well as location – as the town of Falmouth.

And it was here, on a commanding site overlooking Falmouth Harbour, that the new National Maritime Museum Cornwall was built.

The museum is an example of the benefits of joining forces, as it was born out of the broadly-similar needs of two separate and contrasting organisations.

One was the internationally-acclaimed National Maritime Museum at Greenwich in London, which had a valuable collection of more than 100 small craft which was too extensive to display to best effect en masse, and which spent much of the time in storage, being dusted off and brought out for the occasional temporary exhibition.

The other was the tiny Cornwall Maritime Museum, which had a fascinating story to tell but was in danger of being stifled by its poor back-street location, which meant it could only attract 5,000 or so visitors a year.

When the two museums made separate bids to the Heritage Lottery Fund, it was suggested a joint bid might bear fruit – and the result was the National Maritime Museum Cornwall, a key element of the £27 million redevelopment of three acres of Falmouth waterfront.

Funding for the ambitious project was also secured from the South West Regional Development Agency and European Union sources.

The attractive, spacious museum was designed by architect M.J. Long, and draws on traditional maritime themes – much of it is clad in oak planking, and the most prominent part, the lookout tower, resembles a lighthouse.

Visitors entering the museum from the foyer first ascend a long ramp through a huge gallery with a combination of suspended craft and a wall of images and sounds, describing the history and uses of different working boats.

At the top of that ramp is access, through galleries, to another massive open space at the heart of the building, which allows a wide variety of boats to be seen from all angles. The suspended flotilla includes modern powerboats, yachts and coracles.

There are plenty of hands-on activities, covering all aspects of seamanship, including navigation, weather forecasting and ship-handling.

Smaller galleries include a section on Royal Navy ship’s boats, as well as river racing, fishing and other leisure and work pursuits, and the Cornwall Galleries focus on the county’s connections with the sea, looking at industry, work and communications.

Overlooking the main flotilla is a popular cafe with fine views over the harbour.

But for a more spectacular view you must go to the top of the look-out tower, standing 30 metres above the harbour and waterfront.

It stands in a tidal pool, and at the foot of a wide spiral staircase visitors can watch through two 5 metre high windows as the water ebbs and flows, bringing marine life into view – the base of the windows is at low water mark, while the top marks spring high tides.

The Tidal Zone also features a fascinating video machine which allows visitors to spin a wheel at their own speed through the tidal cycle at points around the Cornish coast – a mesmerising glimpse of how St Michael’s Mount becomes an island, or how the water drains from a fishing port leaving boats high and dry, flooding back to drive tourists off the sands.

One boat at the museum has a strong Naval connection through the Duke of Edinburgh – though the boat’s name – Bluebottle – has a Goonish resonance which the Duke’s eldest son would appreciate.

Bluebottle was a Dragon-class yacht given to the Duke and the Queen as a wedding present in 1948.

She had a successful racing career, culminating in a bronze medal at the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne, and was retired shortly afterwards to Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, where she served as a training craft for almost 40 years.

She was showing her age by that stage, but after a leaky trip from Dartmouth to Falmouth she was lovingly restored by Maurice Hunkin and his son Louis – son and grandson of Charlie Hunkin, who gave Bluebottle her first major refit 50 years before – and Marcus Lewis.

Using a combination of new and traditional technology, the exhibit was brought back to her prime – including her distinctive Britannia blue paintwork.

Prince Philip unveiled the building’s foundation stone in 1999, and the Queen chose the museum as the first stop on her Golden Jubilee tour last year, gaining it widespread publicity.

Just last month the complex was officially opened by the Duke of York – the final act of the launch phase, during which time more than 115,000 visitors have been through the doors. Managers at the site confidently predict in excess of 180,000 visitors each year.

4 Museum Director Peter Cowling has announced that he is to step down in September after four years involvement.

“My job as midwife should be finished by the end of our first full season, by which time our new baby will be ready to face the world,” said Mr Cowling.