Bring the family to the Royal Pavilion to enjoy Christ-mouse with our adorable little Regency friends.
Look for the magical mice as they enjoy a wonderful traditional festive season with parties, delicious food and gifts in mini-sized scenes throughout the historic palace.
See if you can spot them on our new mice trail hiding in the spectacularly decorated Christmas trees on display including one inspired by the exotic interior of the pavilion. This Christmas tree is a recreation of Victoria and Albert’s Christmas tree which appeared on the cover of the Illustrated London News in 1848. This captured the public imagination and soon Christmas trees could be found in homes across Britain.
Don’t forget to take a selfie in Queen Victoria’s sleigh before heading to the Royal Pavilion shop to buy wonderful gifts for all the family. Treat the kids to their own mouse to take home – we’ve got mice chefs, artists, dancers and even a space mouse.
For more family entertainment, get in touch with a Victorian Christmas by treating yourself to a traditional telling of the story of Scrooge and his encounter with ghosts. Actor John O’Connor faithfully recreates Charles Dickens’s famous performance of his best-loved story. Using Dickens’ own performance script, this is a wonderfully evocative evening and an acting tour de force.
For a more modern take on A Christmas Carol, see if your family can crack the codes and puzzles for a fun game at Preston Manor. Your team will bring the characters to life in an original half escape room, half immersive theatre experience.
But Christmas isn’t just for the kids and we’ve got lots of traditional evenings for the grown-ups such as our glamorous Christmas Banquets in the Royal Pavilion. Tickets are selling fast, so book now.
If you enjoy a good singsong, tickets are still available for our joyous carol concert in the Royal Pavilion Music Room to get you and your friends in a festive mood.
Over at the Booth Museum of Natural History, we’re celebrating Christmas with some fun arts and crafts with our pop-up workshops and some rather peculiar animal exhibits, including a reindeer, getting into the festive mood.
Check out our website https://brightonmuseums.org.uk/ to book tickets and find out more.
CEO of the Brighton & Hove Museums Hedley Swain said: “This year we’re thrilled to be offering even more events, decorations and fantastic gift ideas to celebrate Christmas in our venues.
“Our Regency mice were popular with the children last year so we have introduced our new mice trail to add in even more fun for families. We’re also holding another Christmas Banquet because they are so popular.”
Royal Pavilion
Christmas at the Royal Pavilion
19 November 2022 to 3 January 2023
10am-4.30pm Free with admission, drop-in. All ages
Make a visit to the Royal Pavilion part of your family Christmas tradition as the palace is once again transformed with festive decorations and glittering trees. Take a selfie in Queen Victoria’s sleigh and find the festive mice on our family trail.
Christmas Banquets 2022
Friday 9, Saturday 10, Friday 16 & Saturday 17 December
6.30-11.30pm £150, members £135 (only 90 tickets per event available), book in advance. 21+
The Royal Pavilion invites you to celebrate Christmas in regal splendour.
Join us for a drinks and canapé reception in the palace’s historic Great Kitchen, followed by a three-course dinner with wine in the magnificent setting of the Banqueting Room.
Private tables of 10 available; smaller groups will be asked to share a table.
Dress code: Black Tie
Christmas Carol Concert 2022
Thursday 15 December 2022
Doors 7pm Performance 7.30-9.30pm £34, members & concession (16 years & under) £30 (includes an interval glass of prosecco or a soft drink and a mince pie), book in advance. 12+
Join us in the seasonally dressed Royal Pavilion for a special evening of Christmas carols performed by two talented Sussex based choirs. The Music Room is the setting for the entertainment and during the interval you are invited to enjoy a glass of prosecco and a mince pie in the palace’s beautiful Banqueting Room. This is always a special evening, and we hope you will join us for this enchanting occasion.
Mr Charles Dickens Presents A Christmas Carol
Wednesday 21, Thursday 22 & Friday 23 December 2022
Doors 7.30pm Performance 8.30-10pm £36, members & concession (16 years & under) £32 (includes an interval glass of wine or soft drink), book in advance. 12+
European Arts Company returns to the Royal Pavilion with the much loved A Christmas Carol as told by the author himself. Actor John O’Connor faithfully recreates Charles Dickens’s famous performance of his best-loved ghost story. Using Dickens’ own performance script, this is a wonderfully evocative evening and an acting tour de force. This Christmas, you can experience what it must have been like to have been in the audience. Come and enjoy a seasonal treat in the spirit of Christmas past, present and future.
On the of 9 November 1861, Charles Dickens came to the Royal Pavilion to give a public reading of David Copperfield in the magnificent setting of the place’s Music Room. The Brighton Gazette reported that he sent ‘a charge of emotion through the whole audience.’ A Christmas Carol was the first public reading Dickens gave of his own work, he enacted it over 150 times and the effect on the public was phenomenal. ‘The success was most wonderful and prodigious – perfectly overwhelming and astounding altogether!’ he said after the first night.
Preston Manor
A Christmas Carol
Saturdays 19 & 26 November
Friday 2, Saturday 3 & Sunday 4 December
Friday 9, Saturday 10 & Sunday 11 December
Friday 16 December to Saturday 31 December (except 25 & 26 December)
Slots between 10am to 7pm, 60 minutes, groups of 4-8, £29pp for teams of 4-5 people, £26pp for teams of 6+. Suitable for age 8+
Book in advance via www.pierpressure.co.uk
Pier Pressure, Brighton’s award-winning escape rooms, are to return to Preston Manor with their unique Christmas experience. What better inspiration than Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol ? Your team will bring the characters to life in an original half escape room half immersive theatre experience. You will meet the famous ghosts of Christmas past, present and future. Explore the wonderful Edwardian manor house completing challenges and puzzles to drive the story onwards in search of the true meaning of Christmas. Taking on the roles of Ebenezer Scrooge, Tiny Tim and other colourful characters with the ghosts there to guide you through the most classic of tales.
The Booth Museum
Christmas at the Booth Museum
3 December 2022 to 4 January 2023
For the very first time, Christmas is coming to the Booth Museum! We hope you’ll join us for a wonderful Victorian Christmas with lots to see and do and some very special visitors. For pop-up events and activities follow our website and social media.
Our special visiting mice for Christmas
We have some rather special mousey visitors to the Booth Museum. They heard about the Victorian Parlour from their cousins at the Royal Pavilion and felt right at home so they’ve moved in for Christmas. Can you spot them all?
Events
Winter Wildlife workshops
Saturday 3 December
10.30am–12:30pm & 2pm-4pm. Free drop-in. All ages.
Space is limited so we advise booking in advance.
Join us for some wintery wildlife arts and crafts and take home something special made in the Booth Museum.
Christmas decoration making at the Booth
Saturday 17 December
10.30am-4pm Free, drop in. Independent self-led activities.
We are getting fabulously festive at the Booth with make your own Christmas decorations to take home and enjoy.
