Reviews of Russell Cotes Art Gallery & Museum. (Museum) in Bournemouth (Dorset).

Russell Cotes Art Gallery & Museum

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Museum

Art gallery

Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum East, Cliff Promenade, Bournemouth BH1 3AA, United Kingdom

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Information of Russell Cotes Art Gallery & Museum, Museum in Bournemouth (Dorset)

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Reviews of Russell Cotes Art Gallery & Museum

R. H.

It was a rainy winters morning in Bournemouth - so we went to the Russell Cotes Art Gallery and Museum. What a good decision. This place is a fantastic place full of delightful art, statues, trinkets and curiosities. It also has some of the best views to be seen in Bournemouth. I was lucky enough to get a tour by Pippa, who was so simply amazing, very informative and interesting.

M. S.

Beautiful building, stunning location and outlook, magical interior designs and some excellent artworks. Unusually there is original seating that you can use to enjoy the views. Good cafe and friendly staff. Only £7.50

S. M.

Found this art museum by accident and so pleased we did, it is beautiful. So much to see, artifacts and paintings, collected from all over the world. Beautiful building and gardens too. Give yourself enough time if you visit, we had two hours, but could have done with at least another one, there is also a cafe there which we didn't have time to sample. The girl on the cash desk in the gift shop was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic which added to our visit.

K. M.

We visit a few large houses every year but i can say with hand on heart i have never felt such an emotional attachment to any of those as i have to this home. Just go and see it, it is fantastic. A lovely cafe and beautiful grounds and views to the ocean. The collection is astounding and the home is stunning. Please please just visit as no end of reviews can describe the enchantment of this home and i use the word home rather than house as that is exactly what you feel about the place. Some wonderful and helpful staff. Will def be going back

A. S. M. D. (. A.

The Russell Coates Museum must be visited way more than once. There is not enough time in a day to really take in all the deep meaningful history, as well as the astounding and exceptional art. I felt like I had a trip around the globe and saw things no one has ever seen before while visiting this museum and gallery. The outside grounds are so beautiful and well groomed in a natural appealing way. Inside is so magnificent! I could have stayed much longer if I had the time. AND the scones from the cafe are the absolute BEST!!!

R. D.

Wow, I’ve never seen so much art in one building, the building itself is a work of art. An absolute stunning collection, I’ll be back as there’s far too much to get around in one day especially if you want to take it all in. It has a lovely little cafe upstairs, and the gardens looked stunning too but I didn’t get to admire them much as it was raining heavily. All in all if you enjoy art and history then it’s a must see while in Bournemouth.

J. O.

The museum and art gallery was amazing, the architecture of the outside and inside was stunning and beautiful. Really enjoyed being able to access most of the museum and gallery via lifts and through doors with ease. the atmosphere with the Christmas decorations made the gallery feel cozy and warm. The staff were really helpful and a joy to chat with, looking forward to returning for the next exhibition 🙂

G. w.

Wow really great place to visit for an hour or two. I've passed several times over the years not knowing what was inside which goes to say it really is s hidden gem of Bournemouth. I don't normally enjoy art galleries and museums all that much but as commented by someone else you do feel z connection to this as it was the home of mr & mrs Russell- Coates. When you enter make sure to watch the short video about the couple.

I. I.

Fantastic place. My absolute favourite. Always love to come here. A very impressive house and relaxing atmosphere. It’s a must see if you are in Bournemouth

R. P.

A must see if you are in Bournemouth. A fascinating collection of artefacts from around the world set in a luxurious Victorian mansion. Beautiful paintings, extraordinary sculptures and fascinating cultural relics, amazing place, like visiting the V&A in a seaside location. The house is gorgeous. Essential visiting.

S. P.

If you love art,history and geography this small museum is a must when visiting Bournemouth, we loved it there was some beautiful art pieces and a lovely story behind it all.

S. A. C.

Russel Cotes Art Gallery & Museum is the one place you cannot miss if you're visiting Bournemouth or the surrounding areas! As soon as you enter the gardens leading to the house, you feel you're stepping out of this day-and-age life and into a different world. This majestic house on top of a cliff, facing the blue ocean and standing with its extraordinary character, is, in fact, full of a lovingly feeling of home, where you can feel the passion their founders had for beauty, art and world culture. You can almost feel you're going to bump into both of them there, and the extraordinary decor of all the house takes you away to their place in time. Every inch of this beautiful building is filled with gorgeous paintings, statues, ceramics and artefacts - some unique in the world, like a piece of Lava from an active volcano in Hawaii, with a fantastic story behind it. Merton and Anne Russel Cotes travelled the world to add to their collections and privileged the local and national artists, giving them a platform to display their art. Knowing that not everyone had the privilege to travel and see art throughout their lives, they decided to give back to the town of Bournemouth their whole house and collections so every person could have access to culture and art. The fantastic views of the sea and the bay, from where their rooms were, will take you to a place in your mind of how peaceful life can present itself, surrounded by such beauty. We have visited more than once, now, coming to Bournemouth with the unique purpose to re-visit the Museum. There's something for everyone, and some would say you can see all of it in about an hour and a half. That was not at all for us. We stayed for four hours, not even realising the time flew. The art gallery on the ground floor is rich and intense, with superb Edwin Long oil paintings that will make you travel to his scenes, with detail and expressions jumping from the canvas as soon as you look at them. Other beautiful paintings with an extensive range of genres and representations, with fabulous pieces of chiaroscuro, are also on display, like the "Going to Church, A Dutch Peasant" by Therese Schwartze. Don't forget to look up! Beautiful skylights and ceiling frescos will delight you. At this last visit, we were grateful to see the recent renovations enhance this place's magic. We were fortunate to see the Hidden Highlights Life in Lockdown exhibition: a fantastic show of an array of paintings with these delightful comments connecting them to our real-life events from the pandemic, making them so poignant but hilarious as well. This was the best idea ever! If you're lucky, you'll have a volunteer pianist or guitarist playing whilst you visit, as we had, both visits, the atmosphere gets so more magical! Also very important to say is that Staff and Volunteers are lovely and kin to engage with some stories from the house and the Russel Cotes. They are so knowledgeable, and they will enrich your visit without a doubt!

P. -.

Excellent house to visit Great setting, beautiful garden and fascinating art paintings and sculptures. Tour includes 10 minute video to start and helps explain background to the original owners and their gifting of the house and all its art to the town in 1921. Art collection reflects the taste of the period and covers many different countries across the world.

R.

What a gem this museum is, very friendly and helpful staff. There is a wealth of interesting articles of cultures and history, all are clearly marked with interesting notes. The art gallery is fantastic, so much to see and explore. Very nice little cafe, which is clean and bright. All floors are accessible with lifts easily available. One of bournemouth's treasures, excellent.

K. S.

Brilliant collection of art and history, very impressive. Had good activities for the kids too. Staff were very pleasant and friendly. The gardens are free to enter and very well maintained.

s. b.

Worth a visit. It cost 7.50 to get in and you have to pay by card. They won't take cash. But it is worth a visit. Loads of painting 🎨 and objects

S. R.

Oscar Wilde would approve. In fact, he did; he came here in the 1880s and loved it. What a beautiful place, exquisite, an aesthete's dream.

J. D.

A fantastic gem of a museum. If you love Arts and Crafts this is definitely one to visit. Lovely coffee shop.

A. P.

Amazing place. So inspiring, beautifully curated and full of surprises. Can't wait to go back as so much to take in I will need several visits! And looking forward to seeing how the Gardens will look in spring and summer.

A.

An absolutely breathtaking piece of history. The house is amazing. A wealth of knowledge and history at your fingertips. It is beautifully preserves and presented.

J. C.

If you have visited the exquisite Leighton House museum in Kensington London then think of this as a similar eclectic private collection on steroids and with the added advantage of an elevated location with sweeping views over the bay. It is stuffed full of works of art and curios if you are a lover of craftsmanship and art then you will not be disappointed. A must see on any visit to Bournmouth.

S.

Went to have a look at it all decorated for Christmas. Just beautiful! Also had the festive afternoon tea with mulled wine. Would definitely recommend! It was so filling that we couldn't finish the cake, but they kindly packed it all into a little takeaway box for us. Great service and a lovely, relaxed atmosphere.

d. w.

Amazing place to visit. Have been before and would go again.

L. G.

We enjoyed our visit in this remarkable museum. The architecture and interior was extraordinary. There are a lot of interesting artifacts and paintings from all over the world!

T. H.

My 4th visit here, go every time when in Bournemouth and always very enjoyable. Staff are really friendly and helpful, went on a very interesting guided tour. Many fascinating artefacts and the story is very well told. Highly recommended, especially in the terrible weather we had!

L. W.

So interesting, so much to see, breathtaking views and will go back again

S. S.

Russell Cotes Art Gallery is an outstanding House & Gallery. Learning about Merton & Annie Russell Cotes was fascinating and their wonderful collections are so varied. What a treat. The staff on site were so helpful & knowledgeable, and going that extra mile to help us with our parking problems.

A.

Really interesting collection of art from all over the world and some beautiful decor in the rooms. The gallery has a small cafe and gift shop too. Lovely garden and scenic views from the outside balcony. Worth a visit.

H. L. A.

Nice place to spend an afternoon to take some photos. What's called hoarding when poor people do it is called a museum when rich people do it 🤪

R. S.

A lovely house to explore on a wet, windy day or even when the sun is shining through. We spent about an hour and a half having a nice leisurely walk around and that with a 6 year old 🙂 I called to book tickets but you can do this online and may even have space for some walk-ins. Due to Covid-19 the entrance is via the garden (not sure if this was always the case). We walked from town so had to walk around the building and come down to the beach side but this house is easy to find from the beachfront as it's signposted well. There was a very friendly lady who answered my call as well as at the entrance. My daughter had a nice chat while browsing the little giftshop. I'd say the cafe and ground floor are accessible for wheelchair users as there is a lift but not sure if it goes to the top floor. We didn't stay for tea (my post about the amazing Zaza will explain why). But it looked OK more of a cafe style, nothing fancy, although I'm sure it tasted nice as everyone looked happy enough. For the price I felt it was reasonable and having a gentleman play a guitar in the background added to the peaceful atmosphere. Worth a visit if you're in the area.

J. B.

What an interesting place, a treasure trove of fascinating items, art and culture. Very kind staff, the cafe is also excellent.

S. J.

An amazing place. You could spend a week there and not take it all in. Beautiful building and gardens.

J. L.

This is a beautiful Victorian house which is now a museum. We especially went there as they have a Pre Raphaelite painting exhibition there at the moment. It's like stepping into a time warp.! Its such a beautiful house. You can imagine what is was like for Russell Cotes & his wife living there. Most things in there are what they collected on their travels around the world in the 1800's ! Beautiful views of the sea & Bay. Lovely cafe with snacks too.

H. M.

Always something to see and admire. Plus some wonderful piano music being played. The current art exhibition is a must to see. Enjoy.

H. S.

We had a wonderful time at the Russell Cotes Art Gallery. The collection is very well mantained and the staff is very friendly. Thank you Pippa for the fantastic guided tour.

A. H.

Have been here many times. Well managed, clean establishment. Very rich in history and the gardens are especially nice to see.

H. H.

Excellent art gallery/museum to dip into. High on a cliff walk overlooking Bournemouth beach is this treasure trove of collector's delights. Full of history and beautiful objects and paintings this is a lovely place to visit. We loved it when we visited 3 years ago and even now it is as wonderful as before. Highly recommended.

D. O.

Fabulous and unusual house with fantastic artefacts and architecture. Definitely worth the entry price plus the cafe served really tasty food too.

M. N.

Wonderful place to spend the day, the scones were amazing 😋

G. A.

What a jewel of a museum! Sumptuous house with original décor and furniture, plus a gorgeous Victorian art collection to browse. Informative guides and a lovely cafe to complete the experience.

G.

would have loved to seen the house but to expensive for me. Paying for two people, sometime less is more. But had a nice coffee and sandwich in the cafe. Thanks

A. S. B.

I was amazed when visited this place; such an exceptional collection of art! Would recommend other visitors to join the guided tour - the lady telling us stories about this museum was so knowledgeable and excited about what she is doing. Very good feature is that you can join and re-join a free tour around the house at any point of your visit (our tour started at 11am; do not really know how many of them are during the day). On the cons side - the garden could be maintained in a better manner and/or involving some landscape architect would be beneficial to improve views to surrounding areas from inside of the house.

S. S.

Well worth a visit! enter it thru the east cliff path, and enjoy a bit of a rest on your walks along the seafront. filled with lovely pieces of art, from paintings to sculptures, that they collected on their journeys and special exhibitions that charity now sets up. lovely cafe too!

S. A. C.

It must be 30 years since I last visited Russell Cotes Museum, maybe because it's so close to home. I was blown away by the outstanding beauty of the grounds, the gallery and the exhibition. The staff are helpful and friendly but more importantly, they are so informative. There is a coffee shop and gift shop. Their exhibitions change regularly and the overall design and museum artefacts are stunning.

S. B.

A recent visit (of many previous visits pre lockdowns etc) see the current Bournemouth Arts Club exhibition. It is a delight and an interesting one celebrating 100 years of the Club. It is well worth a visit and an wonderful range of paintings to look at. The published book @ £18 is a history of the Club which I bought. The only quibble. It takes time and research to gather together paintings and I would have liked a complete catalogue of the works as a reminder. I hope to return before it closes.

N. D.

Actually a great day out with my friends and family .Interesting place to go to .Learnt alot of stuff regarding the history of the King's and Queens .We also had a nice lunch there too .Overall a lovely nice and calm atmosphere would deinitly like to visit there again !

E. K.

Incredibly rich collection, much more than I expected given the size and location. I'd recommend going round twice - you can come out and into the cafe, then go back in - to really absorb everything. Fab Victorian theatre artefacts, lots of beautiful art. The cafe does an excellent cream tea too!

P. R.

Our visit was a bit rushed due to lack of time but the staff were helpful. The house and artifacts were impressive

P. B.

Lovely coffee shop, such great views of the coast and tremendous artistic contents to view, an absolute gem of a place to visit even in winter

S. B.

Fab place. Such alot to see. Reasonable entry price. You need a good couple of hours to look round. Nice pot of tea afterwards. They are dealing with the new social distancing rules well. Card only payments here.

C. C.

Interesting quirky place on the seafront, amazing how many places this couple visited to collect artifacts for a house he built for her for her birthday. Parking nearby, well within walking distance of many of the hotels in town.

Y. K.

Amazing building, gardens, cafe, people and beautiful linen art pieces. Such a knowledgeable down to earth and welcoming community also

M.

Fantastic place - absolutely stunning! The house, finished in 1901, has a wonderful eclectic collection of objects gathered from the owners' travels around the world. The guided tour was very informative with lots of detail about the collection and owners, and it lasted 20mins longer than it should have done. Lovely little cafe. The beach at Bournemouth is great - but don't miss this gem, just a short walk from the pier. I can't recommend this place enough for just £7.50 - and your ticket allows you to come and go all day!

N. W.

A real surprise, and irrespective of whether you like art or not, it's a must see in Bournemouth. The reason? The amazing, beautiful building that houses the collection, and its location and views on the cliffs overlooking the sea.

a. p.

Amazing and electric objects in this interesting former home of the family. Lovely location with views over Bournemouth beach and coastline. Nice cafe in pleasant setting. If you like Leighton House in London, you will enjoy this museum.

S. M.

Beautiful museum in a gorgeous location. We attended a cursed collection Halloween event that was fantastic. Half term activities with children are always great here too.

S.

Fantastic museum and gallery, the house is a beautiful mix of styles with amazing paintings and artefacts. It’s worth a visit any time of the year, can get a little busy doing the summer months but just as interesting during the winter. Before they close up for the year in December there final weekend hosts Christmas themed access to the house/gallery- well worth a visit 👍

L. C.

Very nice place and the displays are really unique.

M. P.

Nice, quirky place. It has a very interesting story. The cafe has a lovely view. I will recomend it, althoug Inthibk it is a bit too expensive.

E. S.

Friendly staff, stunning place and definitely a very beautiful Love Story, not only of the couple that created this museum, but to Bournemoth, that should be told to your children and share it to the whole world.

a.

A video induction first is seen after you've gained entrance into the museum. It gives you a great summary of the original owners of the house of art which was later given to the city of Bournemouth as a museum. The building itself is influenced in styles from all the countries that The Cotes travelled to like Japan, Australia, Egypt, etc but Japanese influence is very prominent. You get a great view of Bournemouth beach from Annie Russell Cotes' room upstairs. The art pieces are lovely but a fee of £6 is required to soak in all art. A cafe is available inside as well

D. B.

An enthralling & quirky gallery/museum which is not to be missed if you are nearby. Bonuses include great views & a delightful café. The current exhibition "A Century of British Art" is delightful.

W. A.

Randomly came in here during the Bournemouth Air Show. Great cafe and superbly clean toilets. Fasinating garden. Incredible story. A definite return to see round the house and exhibits.

F. M.

Such a splendid museum! Took me 2 hrs to see the complete museum. Kept very clean, tidy and maintained very well. Kids and family friendly place! Must visit attraction if you are in Bournemouth. Cafe was quite huge and had plenty of seating capacity. Staff is very nice and friendly.

S.

Absolute must visit during a trip to Bournemouth. I was a little sceptical initially but was very quickly encapsulated by the art and sculptures that the Russell-Cotes family had collected on their worldwide travels. The property is set in beautiful gardens overlooking the seafront with stunning views from the rooms. The house itself is majestic and fascinating. The onsite canteen is a must too - I have to recommend the jumbo sized Vienese Swirl, it was delicious and rounded off a thoroughly enjoyable visit.

J. A.

Lovely little museum and small quiet cafe with lovely staff all round overlooks sea near Bournemouth pier only snag not free like in London I believe £7.50. but worth it if never been you are able to go to the cafe free.

D. J.

Superb building with a brilliant location. Great mix of art and artifacts to look at, the Japanese influence is very interesting if your into that culture.

s. b.

Excellent collection from all over the world. Didnt mind paying the £7.50 entrance fee. Got cafe in there aswell , got it alone or join a group tour. Great art. Fully recommended

P. L.

Do NOT miss this! Absolutely amazing! If you want afternoon tea order in advance!

A. K.

Lovely little museum with great art and architecture. The cafe is very good too and serves a nice cream tea with proper clotted cream. I highly recommend a visit if you are in Bournemouth.

P. F.

We loved this house. Very interesting history lots to see. The cafe was good and staff very friendly. There is a gift shop.

h. b.

Great place to visit.. an insight into decades past. Very interesting collection of objects, sculptures, paintings and exotic items. A must see in Bournemouth

A. B. -. Y.

What a fantastic museum with art pieces from the mid to late Victorian period. A must for visitors to Bournemouth (it's not all beaches and zip wire!). Lovely Italian style architecture, views to beach and outside garden. People need to be grateful that the Russell-Cotes family bequeathed this lovely place to the city of Bournemouth. They supported a lot of up&coming artists of their time, as well as female painters of that period.

T. K. M.

Very good gallery and lots of good art and good staff.A great place to go to in Bournemouth and near the beach..well worth a visit...walk around and look at ever painting and different styles.

A. S.

Lovelly colllection of art of all kinds! Amazing house! Love my visit.

S.

Super friendly staff! Gave us a lot of details about this museum's history, its current exhibitions, its cage and views, and how to play croquet as a beginner! That being said, the little garden for croquet really brings the child side out of me. The collections in it is just amazingly well preserved.

K. L.

The most beautiful, fascinating place. A short walk from the Royal Bath Hotel, my partner and I spent our Valentines Saturday venturing the halls of this stunning Victorian art museum, the home once belonging to the much-in-love Lord and Lady Russell-Cotes. I felt it truly reflected the essence of the Victorian era, and its collection of oil paintings had me in absolute awe, not to mention the breathtaking view of the seaside we were lucky enough to witness (despite Storm Dennis). I would love to return here in the summer and explore the gardens - they looked exquisite, though the weather didn't permit us to venture. I had know idea how lucky I was to live in Bournemouth, but now I definitely realise its beauty and the charm of its history.

W. C.

Second visit in as many months. Awesome place and has nice café. Will try their Afternoon Tea next time I go.

A. B.

Extraordinary house full on interesting artifacts. An eclectic collection of art selected by the owners. Must see if art and sculpture lover.

A. M.

Fabulous eclectic grand tour treasures of landed peers from the turn of the 19c. How the British souvenired their wealth trip back then.

S. W.

What an amazing house, wish I had discovered it sooner. A couple of hours is not long enough. Beautiful scones in the coffee shop

R. G.

An interesting place to see. Beautiful decoration inside the house and incredible artwork. Well worth a visit.

T. M.

Definitely worth a visit!

N. L.

Very impressed with this house. Would recommend a visit

D. D.

A real gem in Bournemouth. It was great to be able to freely walk around the old house, looking at the eclectic collection. Also stunning views of the beach

N. G.

Very nice beach even in November

G. C.

Fascinating history of the family and wonderful artefacts...very thoughtfully presented museum with amazing art work...ceilings, freezes and skylights were a real highlight...digital guide was very helpful...a real one off and well worth a visit and very good value for money

R. M.

We visited with friends who recommended the museum and had been before. It was well worth the visit.

C. D.

If you ever come to Bournemouth please dont miss the Russel Cotes Art Gallery. The gallery is an eclectic collection of works of art from all over the world that the Cotes collected during their trips. You will spend a couple of hourse inside the fancy rooms of the house stunned by the beauty of the decorations and the paintings. In the collection there are some amazing paintings that will take your breath away. An hidden gem absolutely not to be missed!

P. H.

Fabulous Museum and Town House, with rooms full of Victoriana, paintings and world-wide collections. If you are local or on holiday, this museum should be a "must-visit" place on your itinerary.

P. G. H.

Such a quirky but fascinating collection almost bursting from the rooms in a triumph of Victorian exuberance at its heights of heights ! And talking of heights, the views from the property to the Isle of Purbeck and the Isle of Wight are to die for

P. B.

Very Interesting day with lunch & even got a few souvenier Christmas presents too. 2nd visit this year so would thoroughly recommend it👍.

H. B.

So peaceful.Beautiful views from here.Lovely garden.Very eclectic collection from all over the world.Ladies loo worth a visit all original tiles.

N. W.

Quirky little museum come house packed with loads of eclectic things but with a story behind it. Worth a visit.

P. T.

Loved this charming place both the interior and gardens. Great collection of Victorian art some real stars in the collection. I hope a solution is found for the conservatory which badly needs attention. Amazing views over the coastline from the house. Worth every penny.

J. P.

Here you will find a beautiful art collection display from the collection of Sir Merton and Lady Annie Russell-Cotes. Apart from Victorian and Pre-Raphaelite art, there are also works that were collected as souvenirs from the couple's travels around the world. The house, which is overlooking to the beach, is a gift of Sir Merton to Lady Annie.

D. S.

A very interesting museum and art gallery. Our visit was surprising and enlightening.

L. M.

Very interesting museum with nice views of the beach etc; well worth a visit.

D. F.

Although not really into museums we found this a wonderful place to spend a few hours.

N. C.

One of my favourite museums. A beautiful Edwardian mansion on Bournemouth's seafront with stunning interiors and with an art gallery attached with superb taste.

O. 4.

Love the place i have been visiting it since i was a little kid,now i take my kids now there grown up...

A. G.

Beautiful and so much to see. Well worth a visit.

O. D.

A villa of wealthy, well travelled couple who filled this small house with so many things that there is too little space to step back to see it. The parking is expensive and it limits visiting time as the sea side is beautiful. Nevertheless the funs of antique shell indulge.

H. C.

Didn't research this before I went, just rocked up. It blew me away! Such an amazing collection and a lovely story of a fascinating couple of collectors. Will definitely be returning here!

M. L.

Very nice place, definitely worth a visit if you are passing by!

K. H.

Visited 12th August’21 we had a lovely tour so much to see inside and out, all very interesting. Big letdown was the cafe lack of choice, rude staff one just walked away and left a colleague to do drinks for a queue

L. C.

Such a beautiful place to spend a few hours, like stepping back in time and a lovely story of the owners who donated their house and pictures to the peple of Bournemouth

R. W.

Stunning gallery. The original owners had an exquisite taste in art. Beautiful on all levels. The covid inspired comments with some of the paintings were hilarious and inspired. One of the nicest galleries I've ever visited

j. w.

Lovely insight into history of bournemouth and who shaped its future as a seaside resort. Fascinating art collection.

J. W.

An architectural gem stuffed full of fabulously eclectic art and sculpture of the late 19th and early 20th century.

V. M.

Beautiful, tranquil place with a cosy cafe. Well worth the visit.

G. C.

Fantastic place. The gallery is superb. Lovely cafe for afternoon tea. Beautiful sculptures artifacts & treasures collected from worldly travels . A hidden treasure trove of treasures

A. Q. H.

Me & my husband came here Saturday and it was absolutely lovely, quite, clean, interesting and we loved the jokes made about lockdown. you should defo come here when your in Bournemouth

C. B.

A lovely piece of Victoriana with plenty to see and special exhibitions running throughout the year. Activities for children. Small but pleasant cafe. At £8 for concessions it wasn't cheap, but worth the money. No on site parking. Use nearby car parks or on street metered parking. February 2022: seems to have deteriorated since I last visited. Building looking tatty and exhibits don't seem to have any maintenance work done on them. Admission now £7.50.

G. F.

Wonderful museum with a beautiful insight into the early 19th century life style

H. T.

Beautiful building, interesting history, but special mention to the life in lockdown exhibition. A proper giggle!

M. L.

The museum is amazing space for all art lovers - simply stunning inside and out,not to mention the staff, so helpful and friendly.

A. S.

A well maintained Gallery with artefacts from around the world . A well stocked gift shop with affordable gifts to purchase. A relaxing way to while away a couple of hours.😎

M. W.

Great art gallery. Interesting history, fab location, very accessible and fantastic interior. Not too big not too small. Decent cafe. Allow a good couple of hours

C. B.

Fascinating museum full of incredible items. A lovely place to visit

R. R.

A lot to take in? The museum is well looked after by staff . Very nice cafe. Views of the beach from some windows but raining while we were there. Lift to cafe then quite a bit of walking. Interesting collection incl the pre Raphaelite paintings. Dining and bedrooms of original owners there to be seen

F. P.

I would not expect such a small museum could be that amazing!! Definetely recommended for museum lovers!!

m. a.

Amazing gallery to visit in Bournemouth the details in each picture tells how it is worth visiting

R. W.

Fascinating place with lots of things of interest to those with a curious mind. Gardens were lovely & afternoon tea with a view was most enjoyable. Free lockers for rucsacs. Staff very helpful.

A. /.

Beautiful, a great selection of art, coffee was good and the garden is perfect for a sunny day. Well worth the trip

W. H.

Most enjoyable Art Gallery and Museum l have visited. Beautiful place , plenty of seating to admire the exhibits, lovely having the man playing the piano and very good staff and café, l highly recommend this venue.

M. N.

Lovely Art Gallery and Museum! Since the building it self is such an historic place with well preserved interior there's beauty and art in every corner as well as being loaded with history. Throughout our visit there were also live music being played that really made you feel like you were taken back in time. Highly recommend a visit! Had a good system in regards to covid safety with max amount of people allowed inside at the same time, and marked walking routes through the Art Gallery and Museum. Plenty of disinfectant available, staff wearing protective gear and showing good understanding of social distancing. Felt very safe while visiting! There's a lovely cafe on the inside that serves drinks and some snacks to eat. A bit pricey but good quality products and kind staff. It was nice to have a seat after enjoying the exhibitions while having a drink. There's few vegan bits but for a drink you will be fine. The Art Gallery and Museum is accessible with wheelchair and close to road and parking if you can't walk long distances. They have elevators inside for guests to get to the different floors. I didn't take any of the elevators myself but judging by the doors on some they seemed quite small and might just about fit the very large wheelchairs. All of the exhibition rooms have space for turning a wheelchair and with all items displayed in such a way that it is easy to view and enjoy the exhibitions. In some of the parts of the exhibition there isn't much seating available so if you need to sit and rest frequently you might want to bring some aid. They had audio guides, however that wasn't available while we were there but I can imagine this being an excellent option when available. Especially if hard of seeing. The gift shop had so many beautiful postcards and gifts if you want to buy a forever memory. You can also buy prints of some of the paintings and artworks from the Art Gallery and Museum in larger sizes. It was an quiet and calm atmosphere which works well if sensitive to noise or not liking buzzing places. I would have loved to bring my grandmother here! Might be careful bringing small children as there's quite a few breakable items, but think the history and art would be good for older children to engage with. Well worth the entry fee!

L. H.

Cafe could do with more choice. A few warm items. Say soup, quiche?

K. T.

This place is a real hidden gem in Bournemouth. Really enjoyed my visit to the Art gallery/Museum. A very interesting Victorian house that was built on a love story, filled with collections and stunning paintings. Such a fantastic place full of history. Set in a prime position over looking the sea. The gardens and grotto were beautiful and tranquil to sit in . Lovely tea shop cafe offering a selection of hot/ cold drinks, sandwiches and cakes. There is plenty of seating on the garden terrace with sea views. If you visit Bournemouth this needs to be on the to do list! Helpful friendly staff and a hello to Hillary from the cafe! Will definitely come and visit again.

s. h.

So much to see, beautiful amazing house and history. Time just went away. Well worth a visit.

A. B.

A really nice place to visit. Stunning rooms and art works displayed. Lovely cafe too. Japanese garden needs a bit of tlc, the only downside.

J. E.

A unique place,quite a collection of artefacts,paintings & sculptures,the view from the house was stunning luvly little garden

E. G.

A wonderful collection of art and treasures collected from the Russel-Cotes' travels around the world. The house itself is stunning and it gives a rich insight into the Victorian couple's lives and interests.

A. C.

I love the Russell Cotes Museum. It has an eclectic collection from The Victorian Grand Tour and s great selection of art. I see something new each time.

D. S.

Fabulous place where you can get up close to the exhibits

N. C.

We found this gem of a place by accident on a wet and windy day. If you are ever in Bournemouth you must pay a visit, there is so much to see. The tea and scones are really nice too in the cafe 😀

c. b.

Beautiful museum in a stunning location. The shop is excellent as are the staff.

B. V.

Beautiful and interesting place. Lovely experience.

S. J.

The last Victorian house built in Bournemouth. Quirky architecture houses the artefacts they collected during tours of the World. Fabulous wallpaper, painted ceilings and stunning collection.

R. C.

Lovely place to visit, especially around Christmas, as it was all decorated and they had a live guitarist, then pianist, play music that was echoed in every room. Their lockdown exhibition is hilarious. I thoroughly recommend a visit!

M. R.

A wonderful Victorian 'Grand Design' villa on the clifftop - full of artworks & treasures from its original owners' travels around the world. Pre-Raphaelite paintings, Royal Academy paintings, lots of stained glass, furniture, ceramics, the odd taxidermy specimen, even Samurai armour on display from the huge collection. Temporary exhibitions too, plus regular artist-led workshops inspired by the collection, gallery tours & talks.

A. U.

Wonderful place for art lovers, amazing house, amazing pieces of artefacts, entrance fee is reasonable. Touching piece of history.

J. B.

Beautiful examples of historic international art, quality cafe, cultured day out

J. W.

I went here with my partner and we had a lovely time. There is so much to take in from the beautiful gardens to the stunning architecture and vast collection of art from around the world. Visiting the Russell Cotes art gallery was both enjoyable and educational, I would highly recommend this to anyone visiting Bournemouth.

P. M.

Wonderfully preserved house full of Pre-Raphaelite painting and sculptures, alongside 'treasures' (mainly from Asia) acquired during the couple's travels.

h.

A very interesting and unusual art gallery and museum. Well worth a visit

R. S.

Fantastic location and also value for money younneed at least 4 hours there.

A. S.

Lovely homemade scones delightful place to visit.

K. S.

Beautiful place with cheap entry. Could have spent all day there!

m. h.

Excellent historic house & art gallery. Highly recommended.

I. B.

Magnificent sensory experience. Such a wide array of things to really look at, and you are not expected to like it all, just to take a proper look.

I. R.

I visited a couple of weeks ago. It is one of the most amazing and beautiful gallery/museums that I have ever visited. I found the staff to be very friendly and knowledgeable. I shall look forward to visiting again when I am next in Bournemouth.

M. F.

I wasn't expecting the exhibits to be so informative, and the gardens were exquisite. Well worth the cost of admission, and such a hidden gem!

M. R.

Beautiful museum and the experience was 100x better thanks to the amazing pianist who was playing throughout the visit putting us in a perfect atmosphere! Worth every penny!

M. H.

Great exhibition of victoriana beautiful fireplaces, and some interesting paintings

L. M.

Great little museum. Not just for rainy days...

T. K.

Fun museum of Victorian tourist tat mixed with some very impressive exhibits. Free digital guide is a nice touch. Lovely building and the grounds are great for holiday snaps.

J. F.

Lots of very interesting things in a interesting and beautiful house.

E. F.

Absolutely wonderful museum! Loved their gallery dedicate to covid and lockdown- check it out! It’s fun! Highly recommended place to visit!

P. D.

Such a wonderful interesting place. Exhibitions are always so interesting and I go to see them every time there's a new one. The art around the building is fantastic. Café is a lovely place very calming and do a lovely cream tea as have taken a few friends. A definitely wonderful place to visit.

S. F.

After a long wait we finally decided to visit the museum and was overwhelmed by the content and beauty of a bygone era. It makes you imagine what it must have been like to live there. The gardens and sea view are beautiful and the staff very forthcoming with information will return again when they have another art exhibition.

k. W.

Absolutely fantastic! Beautiful building with an incredible collection. Loved every minute! Truly inspirational. Gift shop is well worth a browse for tasteful and individual pressies. Will definitely go back.

A. C.

Brilliant small museum and art gallery. Former home of the Russell-Cotes family, housing the ephemera collected on the travels around the world and their huge collection of art. Every time I go I see something different.

J. S.

Beautiful museum, very helpful staff and volunteers. Not a huge amount of choice in the cafe but good nonetheless. Only marked down ever so slightly because one of the floors is not wheelchair accessible, but it's an old house so they probably can't actually put a lift in. Still well worth a visit though!!

P. P.

Such a great place. Stunning interior with some world class art in a beautiful setting with views over miles of the sea. Rotating exhibitions and very reasonably priced courses make this an essential visit if you like art. Extra bonus is a lovely cafe and very friendly helpful staff.

G. G.

Amazing place to visit and it's worth it.

D. G.

I was really looking forward to visiting. Unfortunately three of the rooms and conservatory were closed due to improvements/weather damage. Which is not a problem as I understand that maintenance has to be carried out. My gripe is that we should have been informed of this when we entered. Also, guide book out of date with the layout of the house. Also, information regarding paintings and sculptures are located in only one place and not by individual pieces, which meant only one or two people at a time would be able to read them causing a lot of waiting time. On the upside it had a reasonable cafe.

L. T.

The museum was an amazing experience. I loved the art collections, artefacts from around the world, gorgeous views from the house windows and most of all a story of love and devotion of the Russell-Cotes couple. I was amazed by their generosity and love for Bournemouth, their adopted home. I hope you enjoy the museum as much as I did..

T. K.

Only got to walk around the garden as I got there to late, it was nearly closing time but seemed the sort of place I'd go back to

S. R.

An unusual museum that is worth a visit. We have visited this museum before, this time we stopped for tea on our way through. Good tea, well presented by very pleasant staff in an interesting surrounding. There was a good selection of cake, my wifes favourite coffee and walnut was on the counter, so she was happy.

V. S.

Went for lunch inside,good choice of sandwiches and tasty soup.Beautiful view on seaside

A. C.

Interesting museum. I love unusual architecture. Family history was well worth finding out about. I had previously stayed at the hotel next door but had not known the story. Also good for art lovers..

K. B.

This museum and art gallery is housed in an exotic Victorian villa on the clifftop just to the east of Bournemouth Pier. Entry is not free but it's well worth paying the entry fee to see the art, furnishings and exhibits in this fine building. Tours are given by very knowledgeable dedicated staff, these tours are at no additional cost and are well worth doing. Craft activities for children are usually available for a small additional charge. A cafe also offers a range of beverages, cakes and sandwiches with comfortable seating. Outside there is a small well kept garden. There is no dedicated car park although parking (pay and display) is available nearby on the Overcliff Drive and other (expensive) council car parks.

J. R.

Amazing find. A Victorian House full to the brim with art and sculpture and artifacts from around the world. Well worth a visit

N. H.

Beautiful museum with many historic rooms and galleries to explore as well as a great cafe and gift shop. The staff and volunteers were helpful and pleasant to chat with. The rooms had a nice level of interpretation/engagement with little drawing kits, tablets with virtual 360-degree tours, and little boards with questions to keep you looking actively. The collections themselves were beautiful and well-preserved. I will definitely go again if I find myself in Bournemouth!

H. 1.

Been going here for years. Was aways free entrance, it is a very interesting building filled with treasures from all over the world, as a great seaside garden on a cliff, cafe, they charge to go in now but it's worth paying the entrance fee

L. W.

Brilliant museum, we caught the end of a tour that was going around, the tour guide brought everything to life and explained it in detail, it was very interesting. Next time we are in Bournemouth I will make sure we book onto a tour, which sadly are only once a day. There is so much to see in the museum, it really is worth spending the whole day there and looking around the gardens as well.

A. R.

A wonderful museum with a great collection to view. The cafe is very nice too

M. T.

Finding this museum a few years ago was a revelation. Already a treasure trove of Victorian art and interior design, they also put on exciting temporary exhibitions which are invariably worth a visit. Whenever we come here, we are enchanted. Don't fail to include the Russell Cotes Art Gallery and Museum in your Bournemouth itinerary!

K. C.

Nice little museum and art gallery set inside a beautiful Victorian house. It's right on the sea front, so has lovely views. The house and contents are impressive. Nice cafe and cakes too. Worth a look if you're on Bournemouth sea front and you have a spare hour or two, but be aware that this wouldn't keep you going for the entire day.

C. C.

Excellent visit. staff friendly. Covid restrictions in place worked well. Interesting, beautiful place. Well worth a visit.

J. R.

Finally visited the Russel Cotes art gallery and was really impressed. The house is amazing, full of an impressive array of art and exhibits. Was very interesting as you view the various rooms to read the history of the family. Highly recommend a visit...

P.

Very interesting house with so many fascinating artifacts and paintings. Nice cafe, with a terrace to sit out on if the weather's good. Brilliant views.

N. G.

A hidden and unexpected jewel. Some great artworks. Well worth the visit.

L. L.

What a hidden gem. Many paintings from the collection are by English female artists; which was a pleasant suprise. Small garden to picnic in. £7.50 adult ticket price. Places to sit down and enjoy the art. Also disabled friendly museum. Although the walk to the entrance is quite a steep path.

P. L.

Always a delight to visit. There is an exhibition of tiles at the moment - small but very interesting. No reduction in entrance price for seniors which is disappointing. Café not quite as good as previous for service but refreshments are OK.

M. T.

Only saw the outside, today. But I am definitely going to go back, and explore.

L. D.

Its an amazing place to visit. I go every year im on holiday. It has a wonderful collection if paintings by female artists. The gardens outside are beautiful too. If your in Bournemouth you must visit here.

M. B.

Gotta go and see this place. Fascinating inside and outside. Victorians at their best!

L. B.

Amazing place, well worth a visit. As well as excellent artwork from all over the world, the house itself is a work of art. It should not to be overlooked by visitors to Bournemouth looking for something a bit different to the regular seaside attractions.

A. A.

A wonderful inspiring place to visit.

Y. B.

Love the house, especially the dining and reception rooms. Not keen on the Council's 1990's addition which looks TN worse condition than the original house. I hope donations will cover the cost of repairing the delightful conservatory. Very pleased to see the "ladies" room with attractive pineapple wallpaper. Wish there were less rigid exhibitions and more family type touches upstairs. Great to have an exhibition space in the early twentieth century galleries. The greatest part is the outstanding view and garden. The introductory film is well made and interesting, the staff very helpful and the café is well- run.

D.

Visited here with my girlfriend on a weekday. Despite it being a rainy day, the atmosphere inside is amazing. To see and experience the Russell-Cotes collection from around the world is definitely something I would recommend. It is a very welcoming museum and entry price is very reasonable! If you were to go on a good day, you would probably be able to see out of the windows looking down on the beach, pier and beautiful gardens. The entrance video is a must-watch, doesn’t matter how much knowledge you know about this museum you will be sure to know more by the end of it.

M. B.

Good visit, enjoyed our time here. Lovely cafe.

A. S.

Αn interesting building in a prime location with spectacular sea views. Inside it is packed with a very eclectic mix objects of all sorts: furniture, paintings, ceramics, curios....it can be overwhelming! But enjoyable!

N. A. S. (.

Very interesting eclectic mix of styles and collections.

H. P.

We enjoyed exploring this house and the cafe made for a nice pit stop. Wish we could have done one of the free tours but even without that, the rooms are really well signposted so you can make sense of how Annie and Merton lived.

B. z.

I enjoyed the evening ghost stories, the staff were friendly and enthusiastic. The ticket said fancy dress was strongly encouraged so I rose to the occasion and delighted the staff with my skeleton costume (apologies to anyone I frightened). This is a beautiful house and gardens, Bournemouth has alot of interesting history and this is a great place to come and find out about it. They regularly have events for young and old alike, and feature different artists /era's /historic events.

I. F.

There aren't enough superlatives to describe this wonderful Historic house / Museum. The artwork is nothing less than fabulous, the decor unbelievably rich and detailed and the artefacts - from all over the world - are beyond price. It costs (at 9th April, 2019) £7.50 pp to enter, although there are concessions. H and I had limited time but what we saw entranced us and we will definitely return.

M. L.

Fantastic house and garden , well worth a visit

D. M.

Magnificent, unusual , quirky building, stunning artefacts from around the world, superb paintings, all on display throughout the museum. Plenty of information, friendly and informative staff. It is a quiet retreat to walk around the lovely gardens. All in all, well worth a visit

G. L.

Wonderful building and full of art treasures.

S. J.

Excellent. Never would have found it if not for the nice lady at the Tourist information centre. You step back in time to an opulent era. The house & the art are stunning. Dam fine cup of tea in the cafe. 😁

R. T. P.

Very good, quite a handsome building. But I think they could improve the disabled access

R. S.

Wonderful, rich collection. Particular interest in the four purposely built art galleries. Also interesting collection from Japan. Lovely cafe, great views, pretty gardens and a nicely stocked shop. Well worth a visit.

D. K.

A collection of paintings, sculptures and mementoes gathered by Russell Cotes and his wife and given with their house to Bournemouth. The artists are not world famous but the paintings are stunning. Well worth a visit. There is a cafe but it closes early at 4.00pm.

S. P.

Interesting site with good art and lovely grounds. Recommend the cafe and opportunities for kids education. Friendly helpful staff. The tour takes an hour or two so give yourself plenty of time before retiring to the cafe for a lot of team and some scrummy food.

T. M.

An absolute gem on Bournemouth sea front. Full of paintings, sculptures and artefacts collected by the owners throughout their travels around the world. Situated on 3 floors with a collection of priceless Japanese and Asian pieces on the top floor. The building which is beautiful needs some TLC here and there, but I guess that's a "work in progress". There is a simple cafe with selection of cakes etc and you can purchase prints, cards and other related items in the shop. Small garden is sweet and has potential to be much better, more tidy (could be that it was autumn when I visited!). Lovely views over the bay from the house Entry price is very reasonable. So much to see, I will definitely return and would recommend it to others who love art and beautiful things!

A. R.

Excellent way to spend some time. 90 minutes flew by so load up your parking time. Amazing exhibits everywhere. Lovely refreshments area and super views. Charming garden area.

A. W.

Russell cotes Art Gallery is fantastic n really beautiful place 😍

C. A.

Visited for Coffee & Cake. Nice atmosphere decent Coffee

J. S.

A fascinating example of Victorian eccentricity. Build as a retirement home for his wife, this successful middle class Victorian not only created a beautiful building overlooking Bournemouth bay (that incidentally must have driven his architect mad) but extended it to provide space for a lifetime collection of paintings, sculpture and disparate oddments the couple found during their worldwide travels. Until Summer 2019 there is also an amazing exhibition of contemporary photographs of life in China that shouldn't be missed as it depicts a bygone era. A Christmas visit is further enhanced by decorations of the time. As a period piece this is charming, eccentric, and provides an altogether delightful outing! P.S. Whatever your gender don't miss visiting the original Ladies lavatory!

g. s.

Mad Victoriana and an eclectic collection of artefacts from around the world.

J. T.

Definitely worth the visit for £7.50. Lovely tea room and gardens too. Back again for second visit. WW1 interesting display this time as well as the never ending display of art and sculpture

J. F.

Lovely so much to see. And Lovely cafe

I. R.

An intriguing place. Lots in there. Lots of art....! And lovely views. You can easily lose a couple of hours in there, without being bored. Friendly staff too. An enjoyable visit, certainly worth the entry fee.

A. S.

Great place to visit. The building is beautiful inside and out. Its full of Curios from around the world including Hawaii. There's a coffee shop and seating areas.£6 for adults as of April 17. Its one of the go to places in Bournemouth and a must see.

A. M.

The Russell Cotes is a hidden gem of Bournemouth. They do behind the scenes tours and they are very interesting to learn about the history of the house, who owned it and to see the places inside the house that you wouldn’t normally be able to visit normally. They also put on art exhibitions which are also interesting. Great for families and couples.

L. D.

Interesting high Victorian house, gallery and garden in Bournemouth. I particularly liked the stained glass.

J. H.

Great little museum and art gallery. The social distancing worked well. It was a little too hot with a face mask on. But so worth it. The Pre-Raphaelite exhibition was really interesting and worth the 2 hour drive.

J. P.

Interesting and varied mix of paintings, sculpture and objet d'art in a large house of varied and eclectic architectural inspiration. Well worth a visit. We had a couple of hours and didn't see all. Didn't try cafe though.

A. J.

Fascinating house and fantastic exhibition exploring the legacy of the legacy of the pre Raphaelite brotherhood

H. H.

Fascinating eclectic museum. We visited on a wild, wintry day. Will definitely be back in summer! Restrictions permitting...

P. A.

An excellent local museum with a fascinating collection of Victorian art and curiosities reflecting the tastes of its eponymous original owners. Offers impressive special exhibitions and a decent café.

c.

Excellent museum. The amount of different artefacts on display is just astounding, and the house itself is very majestic. You could easily loose track of time whilst browsing around the house.

I. W.

Lovely gardens, good collection of at work, sculptures and misc artist stuff housed within a stunning old mansion. As others have mentioned this isn't a full days activity, if you take your time you'll see everything within 2.5 hours

P. C.

Amazing property and so much to see.

G. M.

I was so delighted to visit the Russell Cotes museum after three years from first hearing about it. The 7.50 gbp entrance fee didn't put me off and next time I visit I will happily pay the yearly fee for the privilege of visiting this wonderful building whenever I am in Bournemouth. This is a gem of a place! The beautifully preserved house does not disappoint and the reception area and cafe have been thoughtfully updated in keeping with the house, ensuring that there is disabled access and easy transit around the building. The lift is a bonus. I spent several hours taking in the atmosphere and perusing the collections of furniture, china, paintings and wonderful curios that the owners of the house had gathered from their travels. I marvelled at the labyrinthian layout of the upstairs rooms and gasped at the marvellous views from every window. I sat in faded blue velvet chairs and let my eyes rest on the distant silver sea and bright blue sky while the sun warmed my face. What a joy and a marvel, what a feat of engineering exists at the Russell Cotes Art gallery and Museum. I will return very soon. I almost forgot, the icing on the cake was, the gorgeous exhibition of de Morgan tiles and ceramics it is called fittingly, ' Sublime Symmetry'. If you love colour and pattern this exhibition will take your breath away...be warned you will look at objects differently after viewing de Morgan's genius! It is not a permanent exhibition so get your skates on. I heard that in February, that dullest and dreadfullest of Winter months, there will be an exhibition of The Pre- Raphaelites. Ah they are spoiling us.

J. M.

Beautiful house, faithfully restored from a private house. Lots of exhibits. Occasional art exhibitions also. Amazing cafe for snacks and cakes! You can sit and look out over the sea to the pier.

G. E.

Lovely, slightly wacky and off the wall but well worth the visit. Highly recommended, pleasant staff, the food looked great.

S. H.

Fascinating museum/gallery - largely a historical 'memoire' of the Russell-Cotes family but with two gallery rooms, one of which has new displays. Lovely cafe that you can visit without paying to tour the house and gallery.

s. a.

Quirky, odd well worth a 1.5 hour visit

M. H.

A brilliant gallery and museum which is a stand-out attraction for both residents and tourists alike. With free entrance and a wealth of art on show, The Russell-Cotes is makes for a interesting and educative experience and is suitable for all ages. If ever you wish to see the opulence of a Victorian-era seaside residence, then you couldn't simply ignore such an outstanding local attraction. Well worth a look :)

H. E.

On a short visit to Bournemouth poor weather made us seek indoor diversion. A lover of museums I persuaded my companions to try the Russel Cotes, had vaguely heard of it , and all were in agreement that it was an unmissable experience. From the friendly greeting, the good coffee the very informative tour guide & the magnificent house & artefacts we were literally blown away,Highlight if our trip.Do not miss.

P. M.

The gallery and tea room were lovely - unfortunately, my friend and I were told to stop taking photos in the house. When I asked why, he said it was because my friend was posing and I wasn't allowed to take a "photoshoot" of her. I was confused because I wasn't using a flash on my phone (I wasn't even using a proper camera) and we weren't in anyone's way or being at all innapropriate, we were standing on the stairs. Other people were smiling and standing around for photos as well. He was really rude and he had obviously singled us out.

L. R.

Iconic tourist attraction in Bournemouth. One should definitely visit the place.

J. H.

The house, with the years of collected curios, superb art, sculpture, decoration, and detail, and a lovely peaceful garden is a wonder worthy of a prolonged and very enjoyable visit. The cafe, on the other hand is abysmal. Expensive, lacklustre and staff of poor training and aptitude even for Macdonalds.

L. R.

So many beautiful pieces of art and artefacts to see. Well worth a visit. Allow at least 2 hours to see everything

S. G.

A good art collection in an unusual Victorian House

G. H.

We went here with two children and they both enjoyed the activities being run here. They had an art exhibition which was a bit beyond them, but they enjoyed most of the historical artefacts and I interactive displays.

A. F.

Very interesting an packed with exhibits. Plenty to see in house and galleries. There's currently an RA exhibition with some Turner's, constables , Rossetti and Landseer. Nice cafe and gardens.

D. R. (.

Lovely interesting place to visit. The true life story of how Russell Cotes and his wife fell in love with Bournemouth and how they built up an art gallery with all the items they bought whilst visiting different countries. When they died they left the art gallery to the people of Bournemouth and for everyone who visits to enjoy. The Bath hotel next was their business and Russell Cotes built a home next door to the hotel which was completed and handed over to his wife on her 66th birthday, they extended their home to incorporate the art gallery. It is well worth a visit, £7.50 pp to enter the house (this fee helps to maintain the building) you can see all the art and collectables the Cotes obtained during their travels or you can just visit the restaurant free, no entry charge, for a cream tea, plus you have a chance to see some memorabilia or buy some prints of the artwork. Very interesting learning about the Royal Bath hotel and the lives of the Cotes family.

A. P.

Stunning. Blew my mind, just soooo much to see and discover. ❤❤

N. R.

Lovely building and nice collection of paintings by English artists. Really worth a visit. The house is an art gallery. It's beautiful and ornate yet cosy. Exquisite.

B. W.

What a find at the seaside! We only popped into the cafe when we have more time we shall do the museum. Caught the video at the beginning very interesting tale and worthy of another visit for sure.

R. H.

A really nice cafe with a selection of art to view whilst enjoying your refreshments.

M. R.

Amazing and stunning gallery, every corner has a historic story behind, you can spend a whole day discovering every single ornament, it has a big collection from all over the world it is worth every penny we paid for, do not miss the chance to visit the gallery

S. K.

It is like visiting a families home that just loved to shop and collect things. The best part about it was the view. They have a cafe which was pretty good, quiche and soup.

N. D.

Nicely located overlooking the Pier with view's of the Isle of Wight through to King Harry Rocks. The gallery is housed in a historically interesting building, originally the home of a local hotellier. It contains a varried range of his family person collection. We enjoyed our visit especially the informal guided tour which gave an interesting and ammusing insight into late Victorian artistic tastes.

G. W.

Strangely interesting. Best part is the artwork but there is also an ecolective mix of items collected from around the world. Definitely worth a visit. Expect to spend at least 2 hours there.

C. S.

Intoxicatingly beautiful house, full of art and curios from around the world, in the grand aristocratic, Victorian globe trotting tradition. Perfect for when the British weather forces you off Bournemouth's lovely beach.

D. H.

Beautiful Victorian large property housing an eclectic mix of art, sculpture, furnishings many collected throughout the world by the Russell Cotes'. Well worth a visit.

C. H.

Exquisite, funny, musical, tastey, surprising, inspired & b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l. Go & embrace it all

J. K.

Lovely building, wonderful situation, and very, very interesting exhibits. Sad that the goldfish pool in the entrance hall is just empty and unused. Such a feature when it was used.

E. H.

£6 entry fee seemed abit steep at first for a small museum, but once inside you'll soon forgot how much it cost. Awesome place to visit with stunning art work throughout the whole house.

s. 8.

This is a must see for all coming to Bournemouth and those already here. Such a wide variety of art. Even the building itself is art. Pick the right day and a pianist plays in the main hall. The Russel-Cotes's owned the Royal Bath hotel and did a lot for Bournemouth. Go check it out.

P.

What a fantastic place. Don't be put off by art gallery - it is so much more! One "taster" visit and you will want to return again and again.

V. K.

Great museum and Christmas deco

D. V.

Working very well with COVID restrictions. Booked ticket, not too many people. Almost normal. Exciting they are changing some room layouts.

E. F.

Nice afternoon tea with a great view. Good service

J. D.

This museum is hidden away a bit from the seafront but is not to be missed if you are in Bournemouth. We happened to arrive as a tour was about to start - I would recommend checking in advance as this tour was fantastic.

H. G.

Fascinating location....excellent experience and unlike most "hands off" museum locations. Highly recommended!

I. W.

What a treasure. How did we not this was so close by. Takes your breath away. Absolutely amazing. A must for any art lover. Victorian collecting at its very best. In Bournemouth!

U. G.

Amazing collection of art and souvenirs in a breath-taking mansion by the sea

F. B.

Lovely museum and gallery, spent a couple of hours there. The art is breath taking. As for the garden, very beautiful and tranquil. Defintely worth a visit.

m. h.

A house to visit before you have your afternoon tea where the sandwiches were very good, but should have been made with sandwich sliced bread. Scones were excellent, but too large and the cakes were disappointing.

J. S.

Impressive collection of artefacts

c.

Lovely example of the past really enjoyed our visit

J.

Fantastic art and paintings collection of this millionaire family that they were collectin from around the world, and nice views of the Bournemouth Pier. We had a very interesting guide tour of more than one hour. And google's virtual tour is great!!

E. P.

Wonderful experience. Amazingly beautiful art ❤️ Grand location!

S. H.

Amazing house. Loved the views.

H. D.

Fantastic museum and gallery, worth every penny of the £6 admission fee. Beautiful opulent house in a variety of styles in a superb clifftop position.

J. H.

Interesting house full of collections of art and furniture, together with the story of Russell Cotes. Beautiful gardens and spectacular coastal views.

S. J.

Fascinating galleries full of artifacts from around the world and some decent paintings - well worth the entry fee

L.

Beautiful inside - they made it look gorgeous for Christmas. A very interesting place to visit.

J. H.

A decent enough museum and art gallery to while away an hour or two, but relatively expensive when you consider that most public museums are free to enter, and this museum is owned by Bournemouth Council...

H. o. a. P. i. F.

Loved it. You will too.gardens are immaculate. Bournemouth council needs to request more funding to provide restoration costs.

B. R.

Definitely one of the most beautiful houses I have ever been to. Highly recommend visiting them!

b. m.

Found this place by chance next to The Royal Bath Hotel in Bournemouth. Delightful place, informative and friendly staff.Spent a long time looking round at the artwork. Set in pretty gardens with views out to sea and the coastline.

N. K.

Wonderful place. Especially when your tour is guided by Pipper who is an amazing, passionate, fantastic touristic guide. She made the difference. For a French visitor like me, it was a real pleasure to listen to her beautiful English. Thank you Pipper. Nicole

D. C.

A great place to spend a few hours. Such a beautiful house. You feel like you've stepped back in time. Would recommend it to anyone who likes 18th century buildings.

k. w.

Thought we were just going to look at a few paintings . Pleasantly surprised by not only the amount of art on display, but also the beautiful house and gardens with spectacular views .

M. W.

Fantastic Treasure Chest of Travellers! House-Art Institution with outstanding views over Bournemouth Beach and whole English Channel. Lotz of valuable history spread throughout two floors + amazing garden + cosy café + very nice souvenir shop. High Five!

J. A. B.

Excellent visit. Wildly varied collection. I could have spent hours. Would have loved a postcard of 'A Good Joke' by CF Goldie. Maybe next time.

S. C.

Hidden gem - beautiful house full with arts collections. Free tour guide was excellent! A worth visit place!

G. W.

Great spent more time than I thought but did not mind

T. J.

Fascinating glimpse into the life of this Victorian self made millionaire. An eclectic collection of artifacts, art, and treasures from around the world in this compact and slightly weird house

C. M.

Amazing place for person what love history.So nice this place.

J. L.

Interesting Museum full of the collections of the Russell Cotes family from various Grand Tours across the world. Good café, and serves some gluten free products.

J. C.

Excellent museum/ art gallery. Has an airy feel to the place and the cafe serves up surprisingly good food. Worth admiring the painted ceilings

G. S.

This was a gift to the people of Bournemouth shame we have to pay to get in nowadays

H. B.

Wonderful museum to while away an afternoon with spectacular views towards the purbeck hills. Huge collection of victorian artefacts in a beautiful building. Lovely cafe.

D. B.

What a fantastic museum. fascinating displays of artworks and sculpture. Helpful staff, great cafe and great grounds. A real hidden gem.

N. B.

My favourite place to go! :)

S. G.

Great to spend a couple of hours wandering through the collections. Quirky house but with stunning views. Well worth the money.

M. B.

Old house, old things, not many originals, expensive to get in, then asking for more money once in. OK only, not allowed in to see Japanese collection, suspect if paid more then would, or for select few; those who can afford it. 3 star for historic value only, and fact house was given to borough, good intent badly handled.

S. M.

Great museum with lots of interesting information.

S. T.

It's a must see place

T. C.

Visited 22/07/2014, there was a photo shoot of wedding dresses for Vogue in the central lower hall, it spoilt the visit as we were told where to go and not to go by the museum staff, I was also told not to get too close to the balcony by one of the photo shoot staff. I paid my entrance fee and it was spoilt. This should have been done on the day the museum was closed.

F. M.

Beautiful museum and grounds. Particularly enjoyed the innovative "life in lockdown" exhibition.

S. O.

Great place to visit, very interesting. Looking forward to another trip in better weather to enjoy the gardens.

K. C.

What a wonderful museum. So many artifacts from around the world, and so many riims in the house with furniture. Café available for food and drink and snacks

A.

Beautiful house with a beautiful collection of art. You could walk through every room of this place 100 times and see something new each time.

S. W.

We spent a wet afternoon viewing the collection of paintings and memorabilia. A must if you have a spare afternoon in Bournemouth. A nice cafe too.

R. C.

Lovely quirky art gallery with real quality cafe and gift shop. Fantastic views of the coast - and very interesting displays.

G. M.

Fascinating and quirky museum and gallery full of period atmosphere. Amazing building and garden overlooking sea. Cafe too. Can go back time and time again

O. A.

Different from the traditional museum or art gallery. You get to wander the house on your own or with a guide for free if you happen to arrive when the guided tour is to start.

J. H.

Highly recommended with great guided tour. Wish we had enough time (and energy) to see all of it. Fab cafe too. Go visit.

T. K.

First time ever to visit...loved it...would highly recommend it.

M. O. R.

Nice tea rooms...No entry tickets required. Nice house, although russll-cotes and wife seemed insecure social climbers. Ticket price a little high.

R. C.

Well worth a visit. You will enjoy it more if you have a guide to take you round. It is fascinating to learn the history of the house.

J. R.

Truly bonkers mix of architectural styles and a massive, eclectic collection of art and sculpture. Cafe excellent, huge slices of cake.

R. F.

Great place to spend a few hours in Bournemouth. Fabulous disabled access.

E. T.

What s brilliant place...loved it..amazing

D. G.

Thoroughly enjoyed our visit. Lots to see and the views are great too. Lovely tea room.

L. E. N.

Beautiful gallery with a lot of information

K. M. (.

Really amazing museum. It’s got a small cafe serving hot food, sandwiches etc. An art gallery and art painting shop.

L.

Thoroughly enjoyed the Sunday 11am tour ! Very interesting,informative and beautifully hosted. Looking forward to my next visit.

T. A. h.

this is a must for all visitors to Bournemouth. so much to see. I've been so many times but it's a bit pricey these days. cafe is good.

L. S.

Beautiful setting, lots to see, and surprisingly bigger inside than you expect. Lovely, reasonably priced cafe too.

P. S.

Wonderful old house/museum. Well worth 2 or 3 hours to see the unique detail of this house and it's contents

M. D.

Fantastic place to look round. Great collection of paintings. Lovely cafe...

M. S.

A great place in Bournemouth town centre that will take you back to the heydays of the town. Enjoy a great coffee in the cafe or take the amazing behind-the-scenes tour to find out more about this amazing collection.

J. R.

Fabulous, a hidden gem. Beautiful house with amazing artwork and artefacts. Not to be missed if you're in Bournemouth.

P. A.

Very good, very enjoyable and interesting.

C.

Super interesting and well worth the visit if you're in Bournemouth. Worth having a look around the garden too.

B. W.

Cafe very clean and friendly stafg

S. B.

Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum is a very popular wedding venue, so don’t expect to rock up in high season on a weekend and gain access. As they say on their website check they are open before starting out on your journey to avoid disappointment

B. M.

Very interesting and enlightening visit. Nice gift shop and terrace cafe'.

m. g. p.

Very beautiful for the people love art.

c. “. e.

Great display of art, will recommend

P. T. L.

Beautiful gardens which our free to view but museum is 7.50 pounds each .

R. L.

Wonderful place to visit

M.

Gem of a place to visit in Bournemouth, great eclectic mix of gatherings from around the world by an eccentric border. Recommend for a wet day.

J. S. C.

We got in free via our Art Passes. A very Victorian and rather gloomy museum. The soles of my trainers made a terrible speaking noise on the linoleum.

P. C.

The Russell Cotes museum and art gallery is an unexpected gem on the cliffs of Bournemouth. A wonderfully eclectic collection of paintings, sculpture, ceramics and furniture.

P. R.

A very interesting Victorian house designed for a wealthy family who travelled the world and who wanted to impressed their guests somehow in a similar way as the royal pavilion in Brighton.

E. A.

A varied collection of quirky collectables in particular from Asia. Loved the architecture of the building and a really relaxed feel as you go from room to room. Well worth the visit !

S. L.

Fine, eclectic mix of late Victoriana with many pieces from the voyages of the owners' travels. Especially good collection of statuary.

J. D.

Lovely house ,full of wonderful artifacts. It retains that lived in feeling.Well worth a visit.

J. T.

Well worth visiting.

M. C.

Great place well worth a visit

J. D.

Always interesting to view with so much variety of wonderful artifacts to view inside this beautiful house!

P. M.

An amazing eccentric building full of wonderful art and beautifully decorated. We have already decided upon a second visit.

D. W.

This is a really lovely museum. It has beautiful gardens, a selection of exhibits, a great team room and not too huge.

K. M.

Such a lovely place. Beautiful.

S. U.

Lovely place. Didn't know what to expect. First time I have been to an art gallery. Had to pay to get in. I was told it was free.

D. L.

Beautiful setting to enjoy lunch and tea on the terrace. 😁

S. R.

Nice day out if your interested in history and artifacts. The food in the cafe is yummy. Well worth a visit.

R. M.

Spent three hours here and want to return to look again at the house, the paintings and sculptures.

M. D.

This is an amazing place. Well worth a visit. Allow plenty of time as there is so much to see..

B. D.

Nice coffee shop, and the member of staff in the coffee shop was extremely pleasant. Did not visit rest of museum so can't review fully

J. L.

Fabulous will return soon!

C. R.

A very nice place filled to the brim with paintings and statues well worth the visit

P. B.

Fascinating place full of strange and eccentric objects from around the world. Free admission in the winter but certainly worth donating the suggested £5.00.

J. B.

Love this museum... Such a lovely collection of artifacts from around the world

S. t.

Lovely place to visit with some great artifacts on display.

J. P.

Lovely museum for good paintings and sculptures. Interesting building and beautiful garden.

A. K.

Great place to hang out for an hour or two

P. W.

From a historical view this art gallery is great, however the art is what makes the place. The only down side was that they didn't have a guide book

K. R.

Finally managed to visit this Gallery and I was not disappointed. Use a guide for house or you will miss some very interesting facts.

N. S.

Never been until the other day. Wow it was AMAZING, steeped in history and would be great for both young and older people alike xx

W. B.

Well worth the entrance fee as spent nearly 2 hours and still didnt see it all. Nice coffee shop on site.

I. D.

This museum in Bournemouth give a look into past, with a lot of artwork, China, and statues. It shows how the Russell Cites lived.

A. K.

A must go place for any art lover visiting Bournemouth. You could easily spent hours marveling at the collection.

R. W.

Brilliant place. Loved the art narrative. Stunning collection and wonderful location.

t. b.

Great little museum in an amazing building

E. J. D.

Always a pleasure to visit lots of restoration being done. Again great coffee , sandwiches & cake

D. H.

Eclectic pick-ups from around the world. Fascinating. Nice staff.

M. M.

Great way to spend a couple of hours. Facinating house, furnished with artefacts from all over the world. Suitable for all ages.

C. U.

Fantastic experience. A must see when visiting Bournemouth.

K. R.

Lovely location and the gardens are beautiful. The view from the top of the garden is wide across the sea.

K. B.

Absolutely loved this museum. A real hidden gem. Would recommend to anyone visiting Bournemouth.

Q. P.

One of favourite places. A fun high Victorian place with interesting history and great views

j. P.

Wonderful house and delightful eclectic .mix of exhibits , particularly the sculptures.

L. M. S.

The jewel in the Bournemouth cultural crown. Worth a visit, from the gardens, to the architecture and the art collection of its time.

J. B.

A little gem well worth a visit tucked away with spectacular treasures loved it

b. l.

Good size rooms well maintained clean reasonable food drinks bit pricey v good breakfast

R. E.

Beautiful building and fantastic collection of art.

E. F.

Beautiful paintings and artefacts very interesting place

M. W.

Beautiful House, friendly and helpful staff, lovely gift shop. Cream tea on the terrace !!

G. C.

Beautiful place and very interesting Good teashop too. Very surprised to how much there was to see.

P. J.

Parts were nice to see but alot of the interior was newly done and painted white with some boring pictures on them.

B. C.

High Victorian. Some fine paintings. Spectacular location. Cafe shut one hour before house.

J. P.

Nice selection of art in an interesting Victorian house. Decent little cafe inside too!

S. S.

Only went to the cafe, which was calm and welcoming. The house itself is an impressive example of high victoriana

K. E.

Strange eclectic place of odd things gathered by the family. Worth a visit on a rainy day.

A. S.

Really interesting and enjoyable.

S. H.

This is an amazing place every surface has something to amaze. The views are spectacular and the garden a little magical

P. C.

Quirky and great fun. Staff with a passion, who love to share their knowledge.

Y. R.

Admission was Adult price.seven pounds fifty pence As concession 4pounds was only if you are 'means tested.' This was not on the printed advertising leaflet. .lovely cafeteria.

D. C.

Very interesting house. There is a nice cafe. Lovely sea views.

K. J.

Really nice plae with interesting exhibitions. There's a cafe that is serving nice cakes.

L. B.

Fascinating place, full of Victorian memorabilia. Well worth a visit

a. g.

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