The Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum in Bournemouth has received funding to improve three rooms in the historic house.

Russell Cotes museum

The Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum in Bournemouth has received £115,500 to improve and redisplay three rooms in the historic house.

The museum’s collections are diverse and include paintings, sculpture, natural history, ethnography, ceramics, theatrical history, and more, from all over the world.

The funding will enable curators to completely refresh three significant rooms in the house. As part of the project the Mikado’s Room, which contains pieces from the Japanese collection, and the Red and Yellow Rooms, which display ethnographic collections, will be redisplayed.

Expertise from national museums and input from volunteers will be used in developing the displays. 

The Russell-Cotes will remain open throughout the scheduled work, with the closure of some rooms taking place from December 2019 and there will be a programme of exhibitions running throughout the work.

Thoughts on the reinterpretation and reconnecting project

Paul Ramsbottom, CEO of the Wolfson Foundation, said: “One of the great treasures of this country is the sheer quality and range of our heritage collections – stored and displayed in wonderful museums and galleries. This funding will help to provide even better visitor experiences and great awareness of these fascinating collections.”

Sarah Newman, museum director, added: “We are so excited to have received the funding enabling us to undertake some vital reinterpretation and redisplay work. This project will completely renew the museum’s now tired and dated, 20-year-old interpretation to make it relevant and inspiring to today’s audiences.

It will spotlight the best of our extraordinary collections and make the Russell-Cotes an even more compelling place to visit.”

Group visits

Groups of nine or more can benefit from discounted entry prices.

Exclusive guided tours and catering for your group of the house are available to book.

GTOs can call 01202 451858 or email russellcotes@bournemouth.gov.uk to make a group booking.

For more information, visit www.russellcotes.com/groups/.