Brighton Museum to close for urgent repair work

Brighton Museum and Art Gallery will close for about a month this summer so urgent repair work can take place.

The project is funded by a £1.5m grant from Arts Council England, matched with £500,000 from Brighton & Hove City Council.

The necessary repairs were identified in a structural survey in 2019. The museum says the work will help improve the care of collections and enhance the visitor experience, while reducing maintenance costs and carbon emissions.

The project will include restoring two Georgian glass roof lanterns, which span the building above the central main gallery.

Replicating the original lighting scheme, which included light wells and sun pipes, will mean “the whole gallery will be lit by daylight” and reduce energy costs, the museum said. 

In addition, upgrades and repairs to the building’s two large, glazed roofs will include better ventilation and insulation.

Two galleries will close for the duration of the project, but the majority of the museum will stay open for most of the work. The work is expected to be finished next summer, according to The Argus newspaper.

Hedley Swain, Chief Executive of the Royal Pavilion and Museums Trust, said the work on the roof “needs to be carried out at a time when the weather is expected to be dry, to reduce the risk of water damage while the work is being done”.

"The summer months are the best time to conduct this work and will mean the closure time will be shorter."

Swain added that following the repairs, “visitors to the museum will be able to appreciate our artworks and exhibitions knowing the building is more sustainable, energy-efficient with better lighting and ventilation”.