Brighton Royal Pavilion Garden party to become annual event

The event, launched by Brighton and Hove Museums, marks the first opening of the Royal Pavilion Garden in 1850. A newspaper report dated June 29, 1850, revealed that the gardens were opened to the public for the first time a day earlier, following the purchase of the Royal Pavilion Estate by the town from the Crown.

The report described large crowds enjoying music from the band of the 8th Royal Irish Hussars and exploring what the newspaper called "the beauties of the place."

To celebrate this discovery, Brighton and Hove Museums hosted a garden party on Sunday, June 28, and now plan to make it an annual event.

Hedley Swain, CEO of Brighton and Hove Museums, said: "The discovery of this newspaper report has given us a wonderful opportunity to reconnect people with a pivotal moment in the Garden's history.

Knowing when the Garden first opened to the public has inspired us to create a new annual tradition that celebrates not only its past, but its future."

The garden party, held on the North Lawn, included archive displays, wildlife walks, botanical art sessions and storytelling.

Visitors also enjoyed talks from historians, ecologists and volunteer garden greeters.

Mr Swain said: "Research is at the heart of the Royal Garden Restoration.

Every new discovery helps us build a clearer picture of how the Garden looked and functioned during the Regency period, allowing us to restore it with greater accuracy while protecting the wildlife and community value that make it such an important place today."

The celebration also marks a key point in the £6.4 million Royal Garden Restoration project, which aims to revive one of Britain's rare surviving Regency Picturesque gardens.

The newspaper cutting from Brighton Herald June 29 1850, which reports on the Pavilion Garden’s annual public opening launch. (Image: Brighton & Hove Museums)

Funded by a £4.37 million grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, along with contributions from Brighton and Hove City Council and charitable trusts and foundations, the project will repair heritage features, improve accessibility and protect wildlife habitats.

It will also reinstate historic flower beds and create new opportunities for learning, volunteering and community engagement.

Construction is set to begin in autumn 2026.

Research by archivists, gardeners, landscape specialists and ecologists is guiding each stage of the restoration.

The Grade II-listed garden is currently on Historic England's Heritage at Risk Register.

Brighton and Hove Museums is continuing to raise the remaining funds needed to fully realise the project.

Despite the planned works, the garden will remain open to the public throughout the restoration to ensure continued access.

The restoration will not only honour the garden’s past but also ensure it remains a valued public space for future generations.

The Royal Pavilion Garden currently attracts an estimated 1.5 million visitors each year.

The revived garden party will serve as a reminder of the garden’s enduring legacy and Brighton’s commitment to preserving its historic and natural heritage.

It also offers a chance for the public to engage with the ongoing restoration efforts and the stories that have shaped one of the city’s most treasured spaces.