David J.
Yelp
Tucked away in the park behind the Royal Pavilion, this museum does take a little bit of finding - it's not somewhere you'd happen on by accident. In fact, it's only a stone's throw from the bustling city centre shops on North Street, and is among the top ten most visited free atttractions in the South East (around 250,000 people a year).
Its collections are - like many provincial musuems - a bit of a mixed bag. There's a small but interesting art collection, which ranges from the 15th century to contemporary pieces: highlights include Dutch 17th century works and paintings from the Camden Town school.
Of national importance is its Egyptology collection, the 600 pieces constituting one of the largest in southern England. The world galleries contain a wider variety of objects, mostly from developing countries in Africa, Asia and South America, ranging from puppets and masks to devotional objects and textiles.
The local collections include paintings and an eclectic collection of folk pottery from the museum's founder, and the fashion galleries cover everything from the Prince Regent's breeches (with a 58 inch waist) to mod, rocker, skinhead, punk and goth outfits.
The galleries themselves are generally well laid out, and since its refurbishment a few years ago the interior is impressively light and airy. There's a very nice shop at the entrance and it's well worth knowing about the upstairs cafe, where impressive portions of cake are on offer.
Overall, it is a diverting place to spend a peaceful hour or so.
Note: the museum is closed on Mondays, Continental-fashion.