Hundreds queue for free entry to Royal Pavilion and Brighton museums

This year, for the first time ever, Brighton and Hove Museums extended its annual free day to become a whole free weekend.

The free day is traditionally to celebrate the day Brighton bought the Royal Pavilion from Queen Victoria for over £50,000 in 1850.

Another first saw the museum service also open its doors for free to Brighton Museum and Art Gallery with access to their many exhibitions, including the popular Wildlife Photographer of the Year show.

And it proved to be hugely popular, with long queues of brolly bearing visitors seen outside the venues on both days.

People queueing to get into the Royal Pavilion for free (Image: Brighton and Hove Museums)

A spokeswoman from Brighton and Hove Museums said: “Yesterday's free day at the Pavilion and Brighton Museum was really popular with long queues for both venues.

“People from all over Sussex, lots of families and a whole host of other people came along.

“Some local people who'd never been in either venue.”

CEO of Brighton and Hove Museums Hedley Swain thanked queuers for their support and spoke of his delight at the success of the weekend.

“It is wonderful to see so many people from Sussex enjoying the Royal Pavilion and Brighton Museum and Art Gallery,” he said.

“Both days have been really busy, and we’ve received some fantastic feedback – many who had never visited before or not since a school trip many years ago.

“We want to thank everyone for their good humour and patience in the long queues, even in the rain.

“Our organisation is facing tough times following the pandemic, a big drop in international visitors and the cost of living crisis.

“We hope many of our visitors this weekend will continue to support us by visiting again and telling their friends and family to see what we have to offer, visiting our fabulous shops or becoming a member.”