Brighton & Hove Museums (B&HM) is gearing up for a fabulous Pride week with an amazing 2 for 1 entry offer, cheeky Pride logo and illuminating the Royal Pavilion in rainbow colours.
As thousands travel to the city for a massive LGBTQ+ party, the museum service which celebrates Pride every year, is offering a cultural and artistic twist to events.
The Royal Pavilion will be looking Pride-tastic lit up in rainbow colours from the East Lawn for the first time ever – guaranteed to be a fantastic backdrop for selfies and insta-posts.
Over 30 staff will be joining the parade with a tongue-in-cheek logo on their new Pride t-shirts, proclaiming ‘Giving pleasure to the LGBTQ+ community since 1823’ with a rainbow logo spanning the Royal Pavilion.
The quirky strapline is a reference to the history of the Royal Pavilion which was known as the Pleasure Palace for George IV who loved to hold lavish parties and soirees there, with his friends and foreign dignitaries offering fabulous food, drink and music. The building itself, with an exotic Indian inspired outside and Chinese-themed interior was designed to wow and astound visitors. It was the Royal Pavilion which attracted so many people to the city with its reputation for parties, pleasure, relaxation with a tolerant welcome for all.
B&HM Pride project manager Rob White said: “It’s important for us to be part of Brighton Pride – we work with the LGBTQ+ community, many of our staff are part of the community and we love to get involved to show our support publicly. Plus, it’s a lot of fun and gets members of staff and their friends and families together!”
The newly formed Royal Pavilion staff choir will be performing a special Pride performance on 31 July in the Royal Pavilion Music Room. They will be singing a range of pop songs from gay icons including Lady Gaga, Pet Shop Boys, Erasure and George Michael. Led by choir director Sharon Lewis, the performance will begin at 3pm. Free to watch with entry to the Royal Pavilion.
The season continues with a sold out Queer Late at Hove Museum of Creativity (in partnership with Queer Heritage South and VideoClub).
B&HM have been dedicated to telling the stories of Brighton from the perspective of the queer community for many years. There is a dedicated gallery, curated by local LGBTQ+ community, about their experience in the city called Queer the Pier.
In addition, the highly respected Queer Looks display in the Fashion & Style Gallery showcases outfits that represent LGBTQ fashion and style in Brighton & Hove over the last 50 years. The outfits, which have all belonged to LGBTQ residents of the area, were donated via outreach activities and public events.
To commemorate some of the lesser-known stories of LGBTQ+ history, B&HM will also publish two original blog posts on the Brighton & Hove Museums website.
Curator of the Royal Pavilion Alexandra Loske is exploring the interior design style chinoiserie loved by George IV and used throughout the Royal Pavilion. It was traditionally a very feminine, camp style and against the gender norm for the time.
Queer artist and activist Lisa Hinkins has written about the feat of Harriet Elphinstone-Dick who completed one of the greatest swimming feats of the era in September 1875. Harriet, who would be considered a lesbian today, went on to have a fascinating life including setting up the first gym in Melbourne, Australia.
B&HM is also in the process of setting up an LGBTQ+ working group for staff to assist with a wide range of LGBTQ+ related issues, programming and policies across the organisation.
How to claim your 2 for 1 offer
Visitors can celebrate Brighton Pride with an unbeatable 2 for 1 entry to the Royal Pavilion and Brighton Museum and Art Gallery over the Pride weekend.
Experience George IV’s lavish “Pleasure Palace” with a friend and enjoy double the grandeur for half the price. Or if you prefer glitter over grandeur, bop to ABBA hits as you enjoy the final weekend of our ABBA exhibition at Brighton Museum & Art Gallery.
Simply mention the phrase that pays – “Pleasure Palace” – upon arrival and immerse yourself in the opulence and charm of these historic treasures while making unforgettable Pride memories.
Don’t miss out on this limited-time offer during Brighton Pride weekend (2-4 August only). Discover, delight, and double your pleasure with Brighton & Hove Museums.
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