Royal Pavilion, Brighton

The Royal Pavilion in the center of Brighton was built between 1815 and 1823 in the Indian Mogul style, as the summer residence of the Prince of Wales. John Nash was the architect, with Frederick Crace and Robert Jones responsible for the interior. It remains one of the town's principal landmarks. Visitors enter the Pavilion through the Octagon Hall, passing via an antechamber into a long corridor with Chinese ornamentation.

Picture - Detail of the Brighton Pavilion.

View a slideshow of Royal Pavilion Pictures

Royal Pavilion Map

Important Information:

Official site: www.brighton-hove-rpml.org.uk/museums/brightonmuseum/pages/home.aspx

Address: Church Street, Brighton BN1 1EE, England

Opening hours: Apr 1 to Sep 30: 9:30am-5:45pm
Oct 1 to Mar 31: 10am-5:15pm

Always opened on: Summer Bank Holiday - Britain outside Scotland (last Monday, Aug)

Always closed on: Christmas - Christian (Dec 25), Day after Christmas, St Stephen's Day, Boxing Day (Dec 26), Good Friday - Christian

Entrance fee in GBP: Family £15.80, Adult £6.10, Group discounts £5.10, Child 16 & under £4.00, Concession or reduced rate £4.00

Useful tips: Bank Holidays open 10-5 pm. Family admission (2 adults and up to 4 children).

Disability Access: Partial facilities for persons with disabilities.

Guides: Guided tour included with admission.

Facilities: Gift shop, Restaurant or food service

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Note the fine cast iron banisters in imitation of bamboo. To the right of the corridor is the Banqueting Room with its astonishing oriental décor. This includes a chandelier of lotus shaped lamps protruding from the jaws of six chimerical creatures, all suspended from a silver dragon emerging from a cluster of palm fronds. In the Music Room to the left of the corridor more huge serpents and winged dragons adorn the domed, almost tent like room (the gas lamps were a technical novelty at the time and evoked considerable wonder). A similar indulgence in the exotic and the extraordinary prevails in the other rooms of the Pavilion, the exception being the prince's own private apartments which are in contrast plain. "Prinny's" passion for splendor provoked a popular outcry, caricaturists ridiculing his lavish lifestyle and eccentricities of taste. Queen Victoria eventually sold the outrageously extravagant palace for £50,000 to the town, which has been responsible for the building ever since.

Related Attractions

Pavilion Dome

The distinctive Indian style stables and riding school which belonged to the palace now house the Dome Concert Hall and a museum.

Museum and Art Gallery

Situated in the former royal stables and riding school the museum possesses an outstanding collection of Art Deco pieces, with some particularly fine Art Nouveau furniture. There is also a costume gallery with fashions from the 18th century onwards, a display of old musical instruments, and the excellent Willet Collection of porcelain and ceramics.

The special strength of this costume collection is a collection of examples from the 1920s and 1930s.

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