Fodor's Expert Review Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum

Bournemouth Specialty Museum

Perched on East Cliff, this lavish late-Victorian villa overflows with sculpture, paintings, and artifacts, including cases of butterflies and an exquisite suit of Japanese armor—just a few of the treasures collected from around the world by the Russell-Cotes, a widely traveled Victorian couple. The house, a combination of Italian Renaissance and Scottish Baronial, with added Moorish-, Japanese-, and French-themed rooms, was designed to showcase the collection. There's also a small landscaped garden and café. The museum hosts temporary exhibitions as well, such as ones devoted to the legacy of the Pre-Raphaelites or to the role of fans in Victorian society.

Specialty Museum

Quick Facts

East Cliff Promenade
Bournemouth, Bournemouth  BH1 3AA, England

01202-451800

www.russellcotes.com

Sight Details:
Rate Includes: £7.50, Closed Mon. except bank holidays

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