The Central Gallery
Passion, Power & Protest
The Central Gallery houses an exhibition exploring how passion drives creativity, power shapes society, and protest sparks change.
Exploring vital themes for today, Passion, Power & Protest is all about people – who we love, what we fight for, and how we strive to change the world.
Objects and artworks tell stories and pose questions about love, identity, connection, prejudice, resistance, challenge, and change. At its heart lies a central question: who gets to tell the story?
Highlights include a sofa designed by Salvador Dalí to celebrate the lips of Hollywood actress Mae West, protest banners from the 2020 Black Lives Matter campaign, and historic items from Brighton Pride. Visitors will encounter items that illuminate love, marriage, and passion through the ages, while prompting reflection on the ways power, or the lack of it, shapes human experience.
The gallery features rare and some never-seen-before precious objects from the collections, alongside new items on loan especially for the exhibition.
