Introduction. The Royal Pavilion and Museums holds a diverse, designated collection of natural history specimens in a dedicated building – the Booth Museum. In the 1960s, a dedicated team, including a taxidermist, were based at the Booth. The museum acquired … Continued
In this month’s blog post from Preston Manor, Paula Wrightson tells a Christmas tale of a ghostly apparition, royal tragedies, and Edwardian class divisions, as seen through the eyes of two distinguished guests to the house. Sir Stephen Gaselee was … Continued
How an early image of the Royal Pavilion by a pioneering photographer helps our conservation work. Photographs by William Henry Fox Talbot recently put online by the Bodleian have revealed a remarkable insight into the exterior of the Royal Pavilion. … Continued
In this guest post Eiffion Ashdown looks back at his work in Brighton Museum with his fellow Museum Mentors, including a display of his personal collection of bulldog pieces. Creating Art Creating Magic Hi there readers of this blog. I … Continued
We’ve recently released over 4000 digitised copies of the Brighton Herald newspaper on our Digital Media Bank for free online browsing or download. The Herald was the first newspaper dedicated to Brighton, publishing its first issue on 6 September 1806. … Continued
How a 19th century Art Nouveau cat has given birth to a surprising digital litter. We allow visitors to take photographs in most of our museums. Sometimes we can’t permit photography: in the Royal Pavilion and some of our temporary … Continued
Lady Ellen Thomas-Stanford died on Friday 11 November 1932 at Preston Manor, her family home. With Ellen’s passing a door closed on the Edwardian age. But bodily death leaves a legal paper trail from which much can be discovered. Ellen’s … Continued
Our current Jane Austen by the Sea exhibition explores the author’s relationship with the seaside. While there is no evidence that she ever visited Brighton, her brother, Henry Thomas Austen, spent some time in the town while serving with the … Continued
One hundred years ago this month Russia’s October Revolution was launched in Petrograd (now known as St Petersburg) and changed the course of world history. 1300 hunded miles away at Preston Manor in Brighton, Ellen Thomas-Stanford found herself uniquely close … Continued
Did you know that Madeira Terrace played a role in Brighton’s seafront defences during the Second World War? As the Save Madeira Terrace crowdfunding campaign continues, it is worth remembering there was a time when this famous section of Brighton’s … Continued
In May, 33 prop-making students from Brighton Metropolitan College (part of the Northbrook College Campus) spent a day in Brighton Museum drawing inspiration from the eclectic collection of furniture in the 20th Century gallery. Students and their workbooks outside Brighton Museum … Continued
This Wednesday the University of Lancaster will be bringing a hand-cranked digital device to Brighton Museum. While the phrase ‘hand-cranked’ seldom features in descriptions of cutting-edge technology, there are very good reasons why this belongs in this year’s Brighton Digital … Continued
Maurice Elphick (1885-1982) devoted his life to the service of the family at Preston Manor. He began work as a page-boy when barely in his teens, rising swiftly to the highest position in domestic service, that of butler. When Preston … Continued
This Saturday we’ll be running a Wikipedia Edit-a-thon in Brighton Museum. Part of this year’s Brighton Digital Festival, it will be an opportunity for you to learn more about editing Wikipedia from a member of Wikimedia UK, a chance to … Continued
Brighton & Hove City Council is running a crowdfunding campaign to help save the distinctive Madeira Terrace on Brighton seafront. Constructed in 1890, the terrace runs from Brighton Aquarium (now the Sea Life Centre) to Duke’s Mound. As a result … Continued
Next summer we will be developing a new display of LGBTQ fashion, and we are currently putting together a Young Project Team (aged between 18 and 25) to help us develop content. In collaboration with the London College of Fashion,Brighton … Continued
Museums all over the country have to prepare themselves for any sort of disaster that could affect their collection. At the Royal Pavilion & Museums, we have been putting a lot of work into our Salvage Recovery Plan, which sets … Continued
The Royal Pavilion is home to many exotic beasts of one variety or another. Renowned as an orientalist fantasy, it features dragons, including the famous Dragon Chandelier in the Banqueting Room, phoenixes and snakes. Some of you may also remember … Continued
This month marks the 70th anniversary of the death of Christiana ‘Lily’ Blanche Ashworth Macdonald. One of Preston Manor’s more enigmatic residents, Lily’s outwardly quiet life touched upon the supernatural, the mysterious death of a fiancé, and the Aesthetic movement … Continued
Another year and another publication for the ‘Writing at the Museum’ course run by Creative Future. This is the forth pamphlet in the series, showing how Brighton Museum & Art Gallery continues to inspire our writers, and how every object … Continued
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