Arts & Culture in Brighton

Brighton Museum & Art Gallery is free, and it's one of the best regional museums in the country. The Booth Museum of Natural History is also free — a Victorian taxidermy collection that's genuinely fascinating. The Fishing Museum on the seafront is free too. Brighton Toy Museum is paid but cheap. The Royal Pavilion has an entry fee but is absolutely worth it for the interiors alone.

Exceptional. Brighton has artist-run galleries tucked into railway arches and side streets, the annual Artists Open Houses trail every May (hundreds of artists open their homes), street art on practically every corner, Fabrica gallery in a stunning converted church, and the South Downs sculptural trail just outside the city. The creative community here is one of the most active in the UK outside London.

Theatre Royal Brighton is one of the oldest continually operating theatres in the UK. Brighton Dome is the largest arts venue in the city — it hosts everything from orchestral concerts to comedy. Komedia is the go-to for comedy and cabaret. The Old Market in Hove is an intimate arts space. The Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts at the university brings in more experimental work.

Outstanding. Concorde 2, The Hope & Ruin, Chalk, The Haunt, and Green Door Store are all excellent mid-size venues. The Great Escape festival every May brings over 500 acts to venues across the city — it's one of the most important new music festivals in Europe. Brighton also has a strong jazz scene, regular open mic nights, and a history of launching careers.

Brighton Festival in May is the largest mixed-arts festival in England. Brighton Fringe runs alongside it (May to June) and is one of the biggest open-access arts festivals in the world. Artists Open Houses happens during the same period. The Great Escape is the major music festival. Brighton Digital Festival runs in September. There's genuinely something cultural happening every weekend of the year.