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Exterior view of The Royal Pavilion

A Garden Fit for A King: Reawakening Brighton’s Royal Estate

A Garden Fit for A King: Reawakening Brighton’s Royal Estate

The historic Grade II listed Royal Pavilion Garden is one of the few remaining Regency gardens in the country.

In 2017 the Royal Pavilion Garden was added to Historic England’s ‘At Risk Register’ following concerns about high usage, erosion of character and deterioration of the sense of history.

In January 2024, Brighton & Hove Museums and Brighton & Hove City Council was awarded £4.3 million from The National Lottery Heritage Fund for Royal Pavilion Garden improvements.

Donate now

Make a donation in support of our ambitious project to remove the Grade II listed garden from the Historic England “At Risk Register,” re-establish its identity and transform the way people engage with its heritage.

We will be working with Brighton & Hove City Council and Brighton Dome & Brighton Festival to reunify the estate and conserve the heritage of this world-class cultural and heritage destination.

What the project will involve

This project will conserve the Royal Pavilion Garden, which is one of the country’s most important Regency landscapes and transform the way we engage audiences with its heritage. It represents a fundamental shift in our approach, treating and valuing the garden as one of our historic sites, alongside the Royal Pavilion and museums.

We want to:

  • Invest in the conservation of the Garden, including putting in place include more efficient irrigation and drought resistant planting, as well as protecting the roots of our heritage elm trees, and promoting local biodiversity.
  • Conserve and restore many features including the listed lamp posts and balustrade, reinstate historic beds, restore worn paths and lawns, and improve lighting, drainage, recycling, and seating.
  • Help people discover the heritage through new information onsite and online, as well as through a creative programme of activities. We will create a new learning programme and outdoor learning space for children and young people, as well as extend our community engagement to the garden. This work will be focused on local communities and key audiences including people with disabilities, people with poor mental health, families and adults on low incomes and young people.
An exterior of the Royal Pavilion highlighting the Garden in bloom
“We are very excited about this project. The Royal Pavilion Garden is of immense historic importance, it is the best preserved of the small number of early 19th-century gardens and parks designed by the architect John Nash, along with Regent’s Park, St James’s Park and Buckingham Palace’s garden - all in London. We have the opportunity, supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Brighton and Hove City Council, to preserve its carefully planned layout and provide far better interpretation for visitors and events for users. The plans we are developing will help make this iconic Brighton location more welcoming and protect it for many years into the future, so all our local communities and our visitors can benefit from it.”
Hedley Swain, CEO of Brighton and Hove Museums
An exterior of the Royal Pavilion highlighting the Garden in bloom
Crown balloon in front of the Pavilion

Introduction to the Project

A Garden Fit for A King: Reawakening Brighton’s Royal Estate
Crown balloon in front of the Pavilion
King George IV, Seated, in Morning Dress

A Garden Fit For a King: An Introduction

King George IV, Seated, in Morning Dress
The Royal Pavilion Garden and Elm ‘260’ with a view towards the Dome

Anti-Social Behaviour in the Royal Pavilion Garden

The Royal Pavilion Garden and Elm ‘260’ with a view towards the Dome
Unveiling ceremony at Indian Gate. Crowds of people gathered.

Unveiling the Indian Gate

Unveiling ceremony at Indian Gate. Crowds of people gathered.