The school holidays are here and with the heatwave in full swing, sometimes the best day out is one spent somewhere refreshingly cool. Luckily, the Fal River area is packed with fascinating museums and galleries offering shade and hours of indoor exploring. Whether you're into pirates, piskies or paintings, here's our guide to the best museums to beat the heat this summer.

Cabinet of Folklore and Magic, Falmouth

Tucked away on Falmouth High Street, Gwithti an Pystri - Cornish for "A Cabinet of Folklore and Magic" - is a small but endlessly intriguing museum of Cornish curiosities. Inside you'll find genuine artefacts including a Victorian vampire-slaying kit and the mysterious "witches' cradle," all telling the untold stories of Cornish folklore and magic. It's a quirky, atmospheric stop that's guaranteed to spark curious questions and intrigue.

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Cornwall Museum and Art Gallery, Truro

Cornwall's largest museum of cultural history, home to over a million objects, is a brilliant place to lose an afternoon. Explore the Heart of Cornwall Gallery, marvel at the Mineral Gallery's dazzling geological specimens, and wander through the Ancient Civilisations Gallery, all housed in a grand Grade II listed building right in the centre of Truro. The museum has recently unveiled a spectacular new art gallery with a striking "salon hang" of paintings from floor to ceiling, so there's plenty that's new to see even for regular visitors. Best of all, entry is free for under-18s.

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Falmouth Art Gallery

Award-winning, family-friendly and - best of all - completely free, Falmouth Art Gallery is home to an outstanding collection of over 2,000 artworks, including 19th and 20th century masterpieces and the UK's largest public collection of contemporary automata. The gallery runs a constantly changing exhibitions programme plus free workshops and events for babies, toddlers and families, so it's well worth checking what's on before you visit.

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Museum of Cornish Life, Helston

Spread across three floors and five exhibition halls in Helston's historic Market Buildings, this museum holds one of the largest social history collections in the South West. Discover a huge five-tonne cider press, a fully stocked 1950s kitchen, and the story of local inventor Henry Trengrouse, whose lifesaving rocket equipment was inspired by a shipwreck off Loe Bar. Kids will love hunting for the museum's smallest object (made from a lion's tooth!) and dropping a 20p in the moving diorama. Entry is free, with donations welcomed.

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National Maritime Museum Cornwall, Falmouth

A firm family favourite, this multi-award-winning museum spans 15 galleries over five floors overlooking Discovery Quay. Let the young ones take charge of a radio-controlled sailing ship, get hands-on in the RNLI Rescue Zone, peer into the harbour from underwater in the Tidal Zone, or let their inner pirate loose in the nautically themed Skull Island Play Zone. Climb the 100-foot Lookout Tower for sweeping views over the harbour - a brilliant reward after a busy morning of exploring. With activities designed for younger visitors and plenty of space to spread out, it's an easy way to fill a whole day.

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St Just in Roseland Discovery Centre

Set within the grounds of one of Cornwall's most beautiful churchyards - once described as "the most beautiful churchyard on earth" - the newly opened Interpretive Centre invites visitors to explore the history, heritage and natural beauty of this special site. The interactive exhibits are designed to engage all ages, and afterwards you can wander the sub-tropical gardens, follow the children's discovery trail, or treat yourself to cake at the café. A lovely way to combine indoor learning with some gentle outdoor exploring in the shade of the gardens.

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With so much history, art and folklore packed into these local museums, there's no shortage of ways to enjoy a cool, engaging day out this summer,  whatever the weather throws at us.