Towner Gallery, Art museum in Eastbourne, England
Towner Gallery is an art museum in Eastbourne, housed in a modern building opened in 2009, with several gallery rooms spread across multiple floors and a permanent collection of over 5,000 works. Alongside the permanent displays, the building regularly hosts temporary exhibitions that occupy dedicated spaces within the same structure.
The gallery was founded in 1923 after John Chisholm Towner left a donation of paintings and money to create a public art space in Eastbourne. It moved to its current purpose-built home in 2009, designed by Rick Mather Architects, replacing the older premises it had occupied for decades.
The gallery holds the largest collection of works by Eric Ravilious, the English painter and printmaker known for his depictions of the South Downs and everyday life. His work is closely tied to the landscape around Eastbourne, giving the collection a strong local character that visitors can feel throughout the rooms.
Entry to the permanent collection is free, so a visit is straightforward without planning ahead. Some temporary exhibitions may require a ticket, so it is worth checking what is on before arriving.
In 2023, the gallery hosted the Turner Prize, one of Britain's leading awards for contemporary art, which was unusually held outside London or a major city. Hosting it drew national attention to Eastbourne in a way that rarely happens for a town of its size.
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