Spotlight on…

Russell-Cotes Museum & Art Gallery

The atmospheric Victorian villa on Bournemouth’s East Cliff with a treasure trove of paintings, sculptures and extravagant decor

Sir Merton Russell-Cotes (1835–1921) was the man who turned the Bath Hotel into the Royal Bath, made it a great success and became mayor of Bournemouth in 1894. In 1901 he gave his wife Annie a stunning, ornate clifftop villa as a birthday present. They named it East Cliff Hall and stuffed it full of the treasures and artwork they had collected over the years. In 1907 they donated it to the people of Bournemouth as a museum and, after their deaths, it was reopened as the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum in 1922.

When you visit the museum today, you enter via the modern extension that houses the cafe and gift shop, which sells stunning prints of the house’s art collection and beautiful accessories inspired by the paintings and sculptures.

A narrow, unassuming passageway leads to a modest door and then… you step into an opulent Victorian house with an atmosphere that conjures up visions of candlelit dining, grand soirees in the hall, the sounds of the swish of crinolines on the floor, the tinkling of a grand piano and the slow ticking of a grandfather clock.

The art collection

There is so much to see, you really do need several visits to feel you have appreciated everything it has on show. The collection is a revelation — I had no idea Bournemouth was home to such treasures as Rosetti’s Venus Verticordia. Sir Merton may have had conservative tastes but he had good taste — Spray by Harold Williamson is another favourite of mine. But go and find your own favourites.

The house

In addition to the paintings and sculpture, the house itself is a magnificent exhibit — the Moorish Alcove is a sudden departure from the Victorian decor with its bronze and marble sculpture of Shakespeare’s Othello and a stunning lantern casting intricate shadows.

The Irving Room, dedicated to the Russell-Cotes’’dear friend’ Sir Henry Irving, the leading actor of the time, is a fascinating shrine.

The Red Room, which was Sir Merton’s bedroom, has the most spectacular views of the sea from its equally spectacular curved bay window.

Events and activities

What makes the Russell-Cotes such a wonderful venue for the whole family is the range of special events and activities they put on throughout the year.

The Christmas fair is a highlight as the house is decorated in Victorian style — the Victorians did invent a lot of our traditions for the festive season — and there is even a visit from the big man with the white beard himself.

The museum also hosts temporary exhibitions, tours and talks as well as school holiday workshops and craft activities for children. This Easter they will be putting on Journey to Neverland— with workshops, a house trail, garden games, a treasure hunt and competitions.

The Garden

In the summer months, the ‘tropical garden’ Sir Merton envisioned, comes into its own. Among the flowers and shrubs, you can still see the Victorian stone grotto and fountain, as well as the Japanese garden with gold-fish ponds, bridges and fountain.

Let’s not forget tea and cake…

The light-filled cafe is in the modern extension and I just have to sample their cake whenever I visit. The only difficulty is in deciding whether to take the refreshments before or after looking round.

For more information on the delights of this art gallery and museum by the sea, go to www.russellcotes.com