Looking for a cultural day trip or even a weekend then Sussex is your oyster. Seven Modernist museums are nestled within the folds of the Sussex countryside. Come with me to discover Lee Miller’s home. The country retreat of the Bloomsbury group. Discover modernist gems created for a medieval cathedral. Drive through Sussex’s rolling hills and then look at the paintings Eric Ravilious made of them.
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Seven Modernism Museum in Sussex
Something about the Sussex countryside attracted a whole slew of Modernist artists, authors and craftspeople in the the early twentieth century. Now you can visit their homes and museums they created to why they made the move.
Pallant House Gallery
Pallant House nestles in the lee of Chichester Cathedral in a rather fine Georgian house with a 21st century extension. Inside you will find a collection of British art from 1900 onwards. Walter Hussey, the Dean of Chichester Cathedral amassed a fine collection of artists working during his life time and this is the core of the Pallant collection. Ben Nicholson, Elizabeth Frink and Lucian Freud they’re all here. At the moment you can see a Rana Begum installation in the stairwell of the gallery and there is a usually an special exhibition.
When you visit Pallant House make sure you pop into the Cathedral where you can see work commissioned by Dean Hussey including a Marc Chagall stained glass window and a John Piper altar tapestry.
- Pallant House Gallery, 8-9 North Pallant, Chichester PO19 1TJ
- Open: Tuesday – Saturday: 10am – 5pm (Thursday until 8pm), Sunday/Bank Holidays: 11am – 5pm
- Admission: £14 Art Fund £7.25 10% off if you book online
- Getting there: Trains from London Victoria to Chichester take about an hour and a half
Farleys Farmhouse and Gallery
Farleys Farmhouse was home to surrealists Roger Penrose and Lee Miller. You can wander around the glorious sculpture strewn gardens that they created and go on a tour of the house. Inside the house, photographs are not permitted which is shame because the Roger Penrose’s wall paintings in the dining room are stunning. You need to plan carefully for a visit to Farleys and book ahead. When we visited we left booking until the night before and there was only one slot left to visit the house, so Mr CW was left loitering outside (well he found a shady corner and read).
- Farleys Farmhouse and Gallery, Muddles Green, Chiddingly BN8 6HW
- Open: Thursday, Friday and Sunday April – October 10am – 4.30pm
- Admission: Gallery and Garden £10 House tour £23
- Getting there: Nearest train station Lewes is 20 minutes away by taxi.
Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft
In the early 20th century Ditchling was hive of artistic activity. Eric Gill and others set up the Guild of Artists and Craft Workers in Dtichling itself and nearby the Guild of St Joseph and St Dominic had homes and workshops for silversmiths, stone carvers, carpenters, printers and weavers. Typographers and artists also lived in the village. Now the Ditchling Museum has a collection of their work and stages excellent temporary exhibitions. As you would expect the shop is full of beautiful crafted things.
- Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft, Lodge Hill Lane, Ditchling, East Sussex, BN6 8SP.
- Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft is closed for the rest of 2026
- Getting there: Nearest train station Hassocks 5 minutes away by taxi
Charleston Farmhouse
In 1916 Vanessa Bell, Duncan Grant and David Garnett moved into Charleston Farmhouse, as both men were conscientious objectors and needed work as farm labourers. Once the war was over they kept the farmhouse on and it became a gathering place for the Bloomsbury group. Inside the house the walls and furniture are painted by Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant. To visit the house you need to book a timed ticket but wandering round the garden and shop are free. There is a gallery with temporary exhibitions for which you need a separate ticket and now a brand new gallery in nearby Lewes.
- Charleston Farmhouse, Firle, Lewes BN8 6LL
- Open: Wednesday – Sunday 10am – 5pm
- Admission: House tour £20, Art Fund £17, Garden and Cafe free, Gallery £11, Art Fund £5.50
- Getting there: trains to Lewes from London Victoria take about an hour from there you need a taxi
Towner Eastbourne
The first thing that you notice at the Towner Eastbourne is the giant multicoloured Lothar Gotz mural that adorns the exterior of the gallery. Inside you will find an impressive collection of British and International modern and contemporary art. Christopher Wood, Edward Bawden, Eric Ravilious, Paul Nash and Tirzah Garwood are all here.
- Towner Eastbourne, Devonshire Park, College Road BN21 4JJ
- Open: Tuesday to Sunday, 10am – 5pm
- Admission: Free
- Getting there: trains from London Victoria take about an hour and half
De la Warr Pavilion
Before you go inside the De la Warr pavilion take time to wander around outside admiring the curvaceous exterior. Built in 1935 the De la Warr Pavilion is a modernism gem. Designed by Erich Mendelsohn and Serge Chermayeff (for another Erich Mendelsohn building take a look at my post about Chemnitz). It was built as and still is a community venue with gigs, films and ehibitions. Entry is free and sitting in the cafe taking in the view of the English Channel is always a fine thing to do.
- De la Warr Pavilion, Marina, Bexhill On Sea TN40 1DP
- Open: Daily
- Admission: Free
- Getting there: trains from London Victoria take a shade under two hours
Hastings Contemporary
Another gorgeous building but this time 21 century and not look at me but rather complimenting the fishing huts that are its neighbours. There is no permanent collection at the Hastings Contemporary rather a changing roster of exhibitions.
- Hastings Contemporary, Rock-a-Nore Road, Hastings TN34 3DW
- Open: Wednesday – Sunday 11am – 5pm
- Admission: £10, Art fund £5
- Getting there: Trains from Charing Cross take a shade under two hours.
Sussex Museum shops and cafes
Regular readers will know that I am a devotee of the museum shop and cafe. Every one of the seven museum has an excellent shop with art centred objects on offer. In the past I have been tempted to buy a furniture painting kit at Charleston and more cards then I can can count at all of the galleries. All have excellent cafes too, at Farleys you are welcome to bring a picnic and eat it in the grounds, we did this and then had an excellent tea and cake from the cafe.
Cultural Weekend in Sussex
How better to spend a long weekend than meandering around these seven excellent museums. Practically visiting all seven would need a car, it is perfectly possible to visit Charleston, the Towner, the De la Warr Pavilion and Hastings Contemporary in one weekend using only public transport. Catch a train to either Lewes or Hastings. From Lewes the Sussex Art Shuttle goes to Eastbourne and the Towner via Charleston Farmhouse. Stay the night in Eastbourne and in the morning catch a train to Bexhill on Sea for the De la Warr pavilion and then hop back on the train to Hastings for the Hastings Contemporary.
Where to stay when for a Cultural Weekend in Sussex
Eastbourne has many hotels, the last time I visited, on a girls weekend with my post natal group, we stayed at the Langham Hotel right on the seafront. Mr CW and I stayed in Starcroft Farm Cabins for our last jaunt down to Hastings and Bexhill.
Sussex Art Shuttle
What a fabulous idea this is. Officially called the route 39, is a mini bus that shuttles between Lewes and Eastbourne taking in Charleston Farmhouse, the Seven Sisters Country park and the Towner on its way. You pay £3.50 and can hop on and off as often as you want in a day. At present the bus only run from April – October.
These seven modernist museums in Sussex are an easy day trip from London or make for the perfect weekend break.
