Short answer: The National Maritime Museum is the anchor — several floors, genuinely good, and easily half a day. Falmouth's year-round student trade means more open indoors than most Cornish towns in bad weather.
Falmouth has something most Cornish towns don't: a university, and therefore a genuine year-round indoor economy.
Several floors on the harbourside, with a tidal window below the waterline and a tower with harbour views. Easily half a day. Assistance dogs only.
The indoor exhibits and tunnels give you real shelter, though the ramparts are exposed. Dogs are welcome in the grounds but not indoors.
Falmouth's high street has a genuine density of independent shops, bookshops and record shops — Rubicund Books, Jam, Dig and Delve — which makes browsing a real option rather than a fallback.
Koffiji has an exceptional gluten-free range and is dog-friendly. Scarlet Wines does charcuterie and a well-regarded brunch. Glas overlooks the bay with live music.
Term-time trade keeps kitchens and shops open through winter, so you're far less likely to find things shut than in a purely seasonal town.
Counterintuitively, Falmouth's car parks can be busier in bad weather because everyone drives rather than walks. The Maritime Museum has parking nearby, but arriving early still helps.
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