The 7 Best Art Museums in East Sussex, England

Towner is an award-winning contemporary art gallery and museum for South East England. We present major exhibitions of UK and international contemporary art – and as a museum, we also have a renowned collection of art from across the ages. Learning and participation are at the heart of what we do. We pride ourselves on providing an outstanding visitor experience – our staff are always happy to talk with you! “One of the most creative and brilliantly run institutions in visual arts anywhere” – Laura Cumming, The Observer

ART5 Gallery is conveniently located in the famous and full of life Lanes in beautiful Brighton, very near the ocean. Our main goal is to make your art collecting experience fun. We offer our clients the best possible quality art with the best posible price. We also do home and work consultancies, to help you find art you will love.

Hastings Museum & Art Gallery is a family-friendly museum with amazingly diverse collections. Established over 125 years ago, the Museum offers local people and visitors the opportunity to explore art, culture and history from around the world. Before Hastings tells the story of this area from prehistory to the Saxons and The Story of Hastings in 66 Objects continues the story from 1066 to today. Wildlife is displayed in dioramas of different local habitats and you can discover our prehistoric past in our interactive Dinosaur gallery. Our fine Native North American collection is displayed in three galleries, featuring the Plains and Sub-Arctic areas and the life of Hastings-born Grey Owl. The most spectacular part of the Museum is the Durbar Hall, which contains our World Art displays, as well as being used for a range of events, including weddings. Exhibitions are housed in the Long Gallery. Go to HMAG.org.uk for our current programme.

Brighton Museum & Art Gallery is located in the Royal Pavilion garden, at the heart of the city’s cultural quarter. Its diverse collections bring together the arts and history to tell stories about the city and the world we live in. Tickets for museum admission and the Rock ‘n’ Roll with Me Bowie/MacCormack 1973-76 exhibition must be booked in advance on our website. Christmas and New Year opening times: Thursday 24 December — last admission at 2pm. Friday 25 & Saturday 26 December — closed. Sunday 27 December – open. Monday 28 December — closed. Tuesday 29 – Thursday 31 December — open. Friday 1 January — open at 11am. Normal opening hours will resume from 2 January 2021.

Step into a world of toys, cinema, local history, and fine art. Hove Museum & Art Gallery is a family friendly museum with one of the finest craft collections in the UK.

Ditchling is no ordinary village; it has been home to some of Britain's most innovative artists and has a legacy of international importance. Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft is an independent charity dedicated to the display and preservation of art and craft produced by artists associated with the village of Ditchling. The museum celebrates the important artistic heritage of the village which was home to many artists including Frank Brangwyn, Eric Gill, Charles Knight, David Jones, Edward Johnston, Ethel Mairet and many others. Following a major redevelopment in 2013, the museum is now an award-winning attraction with regularly changing exhibitions, a dedicated learning space and new facilities including a shop and cafe in a restored 18th century Cart Lodge.

We are a Grade One Listed 1930s modernist building on the sea front in Bexhill on Sea, East Sussex, recently refurbished as a centre for the arts. When you walk in, you will find Gallery 1, a large gallery, on the ground floor. The current exhibition is Willem Sandberg: from type to image which opened on 30 April and continues until 4 September. On the ground floor you will also find the Box Office and Information Desk where tickets can be booked for any of our live events. There is also a shop where you can buy books, prints, cards and gifts. We have a large, 1930s auditorium where we present contemporary music, comedy, cinema and other live events. We also have a busy programme of courses, workshops and activities for all ages. Upstairs is Gallery 2, which reopens on Saturday 18 June with The People's Pavilion: Our First 80 Years and continues until Sunday 31 June. Our popular Café Bar & Kitchen can also be found on the second floor and serves delicious warming lunches, tasty salads and freshly - prepared soups and sandwiches to enjoy using locally-sourced ingredients. Our generously - sized home-made cakes, scones and cookies are too tempting to resist and are perfect when served with a delicious Illy Coffee and Fair Trade teas -perfect after a walk along the seafront on a cold winter's day. There is a children's lunch menu for those who want to treat the family. We also serve bar food before evening shows and offer a breakfast menu at weekends. There is a changing display of installations in the rooftop foyer. Doing Looking Working Performing (DLWP) opens Saturday 18 June in parallel to exhibition in Gallery 2. Starting with an eight hour improvised installation using sound and objects by two artists. The resulting installation will be open until 31 July. If the weather is good, you can step out on to the roof to enjoy the best views of the English Channel, all the way to Beachy Head. There is a large Rother District car park (free after 8pm) and free parking along the seafront. The Pavilion is less than 10 minutes walk from the station.