Brighton Museum & Art Gallery
Municipal museum in the Royal Pavilion Gardens with galleries on fine art, fashion, ancient Egypt, world cultures and the history of Brighton.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Brighton Museum & Art Gallery is housed in a building of the Royal Pavilion Estate that was completed in 1805 for the Prince of Wales, later George IV. It was meant to be a tennis court but was never finished and later served as a cavalry barracks. In 1850 the town bought the Royal Pavilion and its grounds from the government for £53,000, and in 1851 part of the Pavilion was used for annual art exhibitions. The former stable building next to the present museum was already used as a museum in 1856; it is now the site of the Brighton Dome.
The museum and art gallery moved into its present home in 1902. A major refurbishment costing £10 million was completed in 2002, which turned the former museum entrance into an entrance for the Dome and gave the museum a new one. The museum is run by the Royal Pavilion & Museums Trust, a charity, together with the Royal Pavilion, Preston Manor, the Hove Museum of Creativity and the Booth Museum of Natural History.
The collections range from archaeology and natural science to decorative art, fashion, world art and fine art. The museum holds objects from Africa, Asia, the Pacific and the Americas, ancient Egyptian material, British and European ceramics, furniture and glass, and paintings from old masters to modern artists. Several galleries tell the story of Brighton and its communities, including the official gallery of Brighton & Hove Albion football club and a community-curated display on local LGBTIQA+ history.
Highlights
- Elaine Evans Archaeology Gallery on the earliest residents of Brighton and Hove
- Ancient Egypt gallery
- World Stories gallery with touchable replica objects
- Fashion and Style gallery
- Fine Art collection from old masters to modern pioneers
- Official gallery of Brighton & Hove Albion
Permanent exhibitions
- Ancient Egypt – A gallery on the lives and beliefs of ancient Egyptians, with a gently sloped floor.
- World Stories – Histories, faiths and traditions seen through the eyes of young people, with tactile exhibits and replica objects to handle.
- Fashion and Style – A gallery that tells stories about people through the clothes they wear.
- Founded
- 1856
- Operated by
- Royal Pavilion & Museums Trust
- Visitors per year
- approx. 200,000
Admission & discounts
| Adults | £10.50 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | £8Brighton and Hove residents (postcodes BN1, BN2, BN3 and BN41) and students of the universities of Brighton and Sussex and Greater Brighton Metropolitan College, with proof |
| Children & teens | £5Child ticket for ages 5 to 18. Unaccompanied children aged 13 and over are welcome; younger children must come with an adult. |
| Visitors with disabilities | –companion free · Carers accompanying a disabled visitor enter free. |
| Students & apprentices | £8For students of the universities of Brighton and Sussex and Greater Brighton Metropolitan College; up to 4 children can be added at £8 each. |
| Groups (12+ people) | –Special rates are available for groups of 12 or more. |
| Families | –Families with at least one adult and two children receive one child ticket free. |
| Resident young person (13 to 18) | £4For residents of Brighton and Hove (BN1, BN2, BN3 and BN41). |
Standard tickets are valid for one year from the date of purchase, so they work as an annual pass with free return visits and ID may be asked on revisits. Booking online in advance gives 5% off the standard adult, child and resident prices. Resident tickets of £8 also cover up to 4 children. Members of the Royal Pavilion & Museums Trust visit free.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits
- Sign language tours
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
All areas of the museum are accessible for wheelchair users and visitors with limited mobility, with level access, power-assisted doors and a passenger lift between the ground and first floors. Accessible toilets are on both floors, and wheelchairs and walkers can be borrowed free of charge. Mobility scooters have to be left in the foyer and visitors transfer to a manual wheelchair. The information desk and shop counter have induction loops, and the World Stories gallery has large print transcripts, subtitles, BSL, hearing loops, tactile exhibits and screen-reading software. BSL interpreted group tours can be booked in advance, and a quiet space can be booked. Light levels are low in some galleries, such as costume and prints. Blue Badge bays are in several streets near the museum, and visitors can be dropped off in Church Street near the William IV gate. Guide, assistance and support dogs are welcome.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
- Family tours & workshops
- Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
- Hands-on stations
- Baby changing facilities
Many galleries and exhibitions have features designed for children, and free trails can be downloaded or printed before the visit, such as Seagull Syd and the Eye Spy trail. The World Stories gallery has replica objects to touch and handle. Baby changing is in the accessible toilet on the ground floor, and the central location makes it easy to combine the visit with the seafront or shops.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Old Steine
Local buses stop at Old Steine, just outside the Royal Pavilion, and in North Street, five minutes' walk away. Brighton railway station is a 15-minute walk (15 to 20 minutes according to the access page), with trains from London Victoria and London Bridge taking about an hour. Pool Valley Coach Station, where National Express coaches arrive, is a five-minute walk.
By car
No on-site parking at the museum.
There is no parking at the museum. Nearby car parks include The Lanes (Black Lion Street, BN1 1ND, 30 disabled bays), NCP Brighton Theatre (Church Street, BN1 1US), Churchill Square (BN1 2FD) and Carlton Hill (BN2 9QG). Blue Badge holders can use bays in Church Street, New Road (three-hour limit) and Jubilee Street (three-hour limit). A Park and Ride service serves the city.
- Accessible parking
The museum is in the centre of Brighton, near The Lanes and the North Laine, five minutes' walk from the sea. The postcode for journey planners is BN1 1FN. Access is through the garden on level paths.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
The shop is in the entrance foyer and has a level floor. Public toilets are in the garden and on the ground floor.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Photography | Photography for personal, non-commercial use is welcome, but flash, tripods and selfie sticks are not allowed. |
| Good to know | Group tours, including BSL interpreted tours, must be booked in advance. Assistance dogs are welcome, and other animals can be enquired about through the Booking Office. The museum is a member of the Visitor Attraction Quality Assurance scheme. |
