Conserving the conservatory

Excellent news for the enchanting Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum

Ready for its facelift

Next month work begins on a 4 month project to restore the beautiful conservatory at the Russell-Cotes, thanks to funding from Arts Council England (ACE) and from the Borough of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole known to locals as BCP.

There is £1million available for various works at the Gallery but the most noticeable and welcome improvement will be the saving and restoration of the charming conservatory. I wrote of the plight of the building last year and included some photographs of the sad state of the conservatory, which boats a spectacular view over the town’s beach and pier.

Other renovation includes replacing the air conditioning system, which was on its last legs and putting the valuable collection of paintings and antiques at risk, plus sorting out some drainage issues in the gardens.

Sir Merton Cotes and his wife Lady Annie created a glorious gallery and museum and then donated the whole collection and the building to the old Borough of Bournemouth to be held in trust for the townsfolk, back in1922. Since then it has delighted generations of visitors from the local area and from around the world.

The Gallery says: “Once complete we hope this space will be used by visitors and for special events. The refurbishment aims to repair and restore the main structural damage and we have plans to explore the traditional design features to bring it back to its original aesthetic.”

Staff have been carrying out paint analysis to assess whether the pink colour of today is original and it turns out that it is. When completed the conservatory will once again become a highlight of any tour of this splendid Gallery.

Russsell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum, East Cliff Promenade, Bournemouth, BH1 3AA