Royal Pavilion Dome Appeal
We are raising money to repair and preserve some of the ‘at risk’ domes and canopies on the iconic roof of the Royal Pavilion. Please help us reach our target to complete this vital work.
We had a brilliant response to our urgent appeal in September to raise vital funds to repair a dome on the Royal Pavilion that was at immediate risk of collapse. Thank you to all our supporters who took the time to donate and helped us raise £30K.
Unfortunately, now that work has started on the dome, we have been told that the extent of the wood rot is a lot worse that initially anticipated and it will cost more to restore properly. With this in mind, we have reopened the appeal to ask people to help us raise an additional £50k towards our conservation work to help save the dome this Christmas.
Running costs for heritage venues are an ongoing concern for operators across the UK and beyond, especially with rising costs for electricity, supplies and repairs. It costs around £900,000 a year to look after the 200-year-old Royal Pavilion, without the addition of repairs, renovations and upgrading. Brighton & Hove Museums is a registered charity that relies on donations, grants and admission to operate its five heritage venues which include Brighton Museum & Art Gallery, Preston Manor & Garden, Booth Museum of Natural History and Hove Museum of Creativity.
Donate now
Brighton & Hove Museums needs your support to help fund essential repairs to the Royal Pavilion. As a charity, we rely on donations to maintain our five historic properties. Help us reach our goal and be part of preserving our shared heritage for future generations.
In August 2024, contractors at the Royal Pavilion were shocked when routine restoration work unexpectedly identified that a crack in the dome’s exterior was letting more water inside than previously thought. On closer inspection, it was revealed that there was significant rotting on the central timber post and framework that support the structure of the dome.
In October 2024, when starting the work to restore the dome, contractors found the damage was significantly worse than expected, with the wood not just rotten at the top of the dome structure, but all the way down, leaving only a rod holding up 19th century stonework. The extent of the damage has led to more than a doubling of costs. which will have to be sourced by Brighton & Hove Museums from other projects. As a charity, Brighton & Hove Museums relies on admissions, funding and grants to protect and promote five cultural institutions across Brighton & Hove including the Royal Pavilion, Preston Manor, Booth Museum, Brighton Museum and Hove Museum.
The dome is part of the iconic skyline of the 19th century seaside ‘pleasure palace’ of George IV, which was designed by British architect John Nash and completed in 1823.
The most distinctive feature of the Pavilion’s exterior is its series of onion-shaped domes and tented canopies, reminiscent of Mughal architecture. These domes, particularly the central dome, draw inspiration from Indian palaces, giving the Pavilion an exotic and romantic appearance. The central dome is flanked by smaller domes, each meticulously decorated with intricate details that enhance the oriental aesthetic. The domes are constructed from a combination of wood and iron, cleverly painted and finished to resemble more traditional materials like stone or stucco.
Jo Hatwell, Historic Buildings Manager of Brighton & Hove Museums said:
“We have been working on the roof of the Royal Pavilion for a number of months carrying out essential cleaning and repairs to the stonework. Although we knew there were certain areas of the render that were weaker that we were monitoring, we were alarmed at just how significant the damage was and the extent of the damage on the wood.
“The domes are an iconic feature of John Nash’s work on the Pavilion, and it is devastating that this has happened. We have to galvanise quickly, but our budgets are currently stretched with the vital work we are carrying out on the Brighton Museum & Gallery roof restoration, so we are appealing for extra assistance to help us fix this small but important dome.”