Named to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of King George V, it is the UK’s largest open air, and one of the few saltwater, swimming baths in the country and demonstrates the history of Penzance as a tourist destination.   The art deco lido features a large triangular pool, with its longest side 300 feet long and is 160 feet at its widest.  With a capacity of five million litres, the level is controlled by gates on the western side and the depth varies between four and seven feet depending on the tide.  It has changing rooms on several levels which also provide sunbathing and viewing areas.  The lido transformed the opportunities for women to swim since, until the pool opened, the headland location was used exclusively by men and although women could use other parts of the beach they were expected to use the bathing machines of which there were a very limited number.  Over the decades the lido fell into disrepair and was closed for a short period in the 1990s and again for two years following substantial damage caused by the storms of 2014. 

A Grade II listed building, it was renovated and reopened in 2016 as a not-for-profit social enterprise.