A new discovery centre telling the historic story of the Cotehele Estate is open to the public at Cotehele Quay. If the River Tamar could talk about Cotehele, what would it say? This is one of the main questions that guided the tenants, volunteers, local residents and stakeholders who helped the National Trust and design company Exhibitionists to decide how to present the new discovery centre which was formerly the Quay Museum. The centre tells the story of 19th and early 20th century Cotehele, when the Quay and Tamar Valley industries were in their heyday. With improved lighting, audio posts, new interpretation, topographical models and interactive exhibits, visitors will be able to get their bearings, search out their favourite spots or find something new.  The centre provides a 'taster' of the whole estate, with in- depth information available for visitors who want to read it at their leisure. The interactive 1940s shipping office and the wildlife section – to which visitors can add their own finds – will appeal to those who prefer a hands-on approach.  Exhibits include a decorative alternative to a figurehead from a boat that was built from Cotehele oak that blew down in the 1891 blizzard, a salmon boat and a 175- year-old cross section of an oak tree as a timeline. The centre adds to the attractions on the estate, including the Tudor house which was home to the Edgcumbe family for almost 600 years, the formal and informal gardens, which include a medieval stewpond and dovecote, a mill dating from the 1860s, a 15th century chapel and Tamar sailing barge The Shamrock.