Brighton Museum & Art Gallery

Brighton Museum & Art Gallery stands in the Royal Pavilion Estate in Brighton and Hove. The building was originally built in 1805 as a tennis court for the Prince of Wales, later George IV. It later served as cavalry barracks before becoming part of the museum in 1902. The museum is part of Brighton & Hove Museums, which includes four other sites. A major refurbishment in 2002 changed the traditional entrance to the museum. The building now houses a variety of collections and exhibits. The museum is worth visiting for its nationally important collections. The Decorative Art collection includes ceramics, glass and furniture from the 17th century to the present day. The Natural Sciences collection features half a million insects and a library of 14,000 natural history texts. The World Art collection contains over 13,000 objects from Africa, Asia, the Pacific and Americas. The Fine Art collection includes works by European Old Masters and American artists like Frank Stella. Visitors find rooms filled with notable exhibits. A pair of breeches worn by George IV is part of the royal wear section. A Kinemacolor camera made by Moy & Bastie around 1910 is displayed in the film and media collection. The museum also features a hand-enamelled wall plaque designed by Clarice Cliff. The Egyptian portrait painted in coloured beeswax is another highlight. The galleries are set within the historic Royal Pavilion Estate.