Visit Eastbourne's Museums Before the 2015 Season Comes to an End!

The Redoubt Fortress and Military Museum's 2015 season will come to an end on Sunday 15 November, so here at VisitEastbourne we're encouraging you to head down to the fortress on Eastbourne's Seafront and check out all that it has to offer, before the end of the season! 

Discover Treasure....

... and not the cliched, shiny and buried variety! The exciting and colourful Treasure exhibition which has been in the museum since March, explores the definition of treasure and displays thousands of treasured items from Lewis Carroll’s bed desk used during his many stays in Eastbourne, to the diary of a young woman holidaying in Victorian Eastbourne. Unfold the many stories of the town's history through learning understanding the uniquely treasured items on display. You can even Journey back through time and discover what a Flint Hand Axe has in common with a modern day computer, as well as listening to voices which have been sent deep into space and count coins in an incredible Roman Coin Hoard, in this interactive exhibition which both children and adults will love!

Devour Some Culture and Cake...

Culture and Cake is a fantastic series of informal talks, covering some extremely interesting and mind boggling topics. The first two talks have discussed how the invention of something as tiny as the sewing needle impacted upon the world, as welll as how humans have developed from the Stone Age to the Space Age! During the final Culture and Cake event on 14 November, Dr Matt Pope will discuss how to survive an ice age in Eastbourne, after carrying out a careful study of how our ancestors once lived in the depths of the prehistoric ice-age! Did we mention that there's cake? The event includes tea or coffee and cake in the Outpost Cafe, where afterwards audiences can discuss Dr Pope's fascinating talk in an informal environment! You can get your ticket for this great event at the Redoubt or at Eastbourne's Tourist Information Centre!

Learn about Summerdown Camp at the Pavilion....

Some exciting news is that the fascinating Summerdown Camp exhibition which can be found at the Pavilion, next door to the Redoubt, has been kept open for a month longer because it's been so popular this year! The exhibition will now end on 13 December, so now's your chance to visit and learn about the UK's first and largest convalescent camp which opened in Eastbourne during World War One. The camp opened in 1915 and treated over 150,000 wounded soldiers over the five years it was open. Not only was it temporarily home to casualties of the war, it was also where some extremely incredible women worked hard to nurse and care for the men! The exhibition uncovers some of the pioneering medical treatments and occupational therapies used to treat the injured at the camp and tells many heart warming stories of the camp's residents, both men and women! 

Summerdown Camp exhibition is free to attend and is open daily from 11am-4om at the Pavilion on Marine Parade until 13 December! 

Visit Eastbourne Museums for more information about the remaining events at the Redoubt this season! 

Magnificent Motors and More to Make the Most Perfect Vintage Visit to Eastbourne

Eastbourne has one of the most stunning Victorian promenades, Pier and many Victorian buildings which adds beauty and history to our Seaside Town. However, Eastbourne offers up so much more in the way of vintage for a stylish break by the sea.

For a truly vintage festival, a visit to Eastbourne this Bank Holiday weekend is a must, when 'Magnificent Motors' takes over Eastbourne's Western Lawns. The free festival will showcase hundreds of vintage and classic cars, motorbikes, buses and steam powered vehicles.

Step back in time and admire the beautiful motors on display, imaging the journey's they made in wartime Britain, the swinging sixties and post-war America, and learning about the stories behind the cars and their previous owners.

Modern day Ferrari's, Porsche and Lotus models are just a small handful of the beautiful motors which can be found at the seafront motoring festival, and every motoring fan will find something to get their gears going! 

Magnificent Motors runs between 2 and 3 May, and begins each day with a seafront cavalcade at 10am, from the Eastern Seafront (near to Sovereign Harbour) to the Western Lawns - showing off the vintage variety of vehicles for all to admire. The lawns will be filled with exhibits, live bands and childrens's rides to complete the vintage festival atmosphere. The four day continental market from 1-4 May, will have many delicious foods on offer, so why not take a picnic basket and blanket for a lunch beside the sea? Put the pedal to the metal and get yourself down to Eastbourne for stunning cars in the sunshine!

If you're looking for a way to explore the beautiful South Downs National Park, then jumping on board a 1920's Rolls Royce Tourer, on a brand new vintage chauffer-driven tour is the perfect way to see it. 

Work up an appetite taking in all the beauty of the Sussex countryside, and indulge in an Afternoon Tea at one of the many hotels and cafe's in Eastbourne offering up vintage teas. The Grand Hotel, often dubbed as 'Downton-by-Sea' is a classic and historical hotel of grand beauty, inside and out, and for an elegant Afternoon Tea this is where one should go. The clifftop Hydro Hotel offers up fabulous art deco interior and gorgeous gardens to devour a delicious Sussex cream tea in. The Redoubt Fortress's very own vintage styled cafe, The Outpost, serves a very purse friendly and appetizing 'General's Cream Tea', in surroundings reminiscent of a world-war two living room! 

On Friday 2 May, step back in time at the opening night of the Bandstand season - when the Legends Tribute extravaganza brings the Grade 2 listed Victorian Bandstand to life! The Legends Tribute Show will have you reliving your teenage memories as you dance away to hits from rock and pop legends from past decades, including Johnny Cash, Lionel Richie, Buddy Holly, The Euyrthmics, Bonnie Tyler, Madonna, Amy Winehouse and many many more! A dazzling firework display will make a grand finale ending to the show!

So, put your best frock on and come and experience the fabulous vintage fun on offer in Eastbourne this May Bank Holiday!

Last Night of The Proms On The Lawns

On Saturday 7 September, Ensemble Reza will be performing on the Western Lawns, in an afternoon and evening of entertainment   followed by big screen viewing of the BBC’S Last Night of the Proms and finishing with a firework finale.

The event will kick off with Ensemble Reza which is made up of Miriam Teppich, Andrew Thurgood, Robert Duncan, Pavlos Carvalho, Sarah Dubost-Hautefeuille and Jane Haughton.

The group brings together a wealth of talent and experience in both performance and education work with players representing some of this country’s finest orchestras including the London Philharmonic Orchestra, The London Mozart Players and The BBC Concert Orchestra to name a few.

For this concert, Ensemble Reza will be joined by Jane Haughton – one of Britain’s finest sopranos. The group will be performing a programme that will have the audience dancing in their seats. From all singing sea shanties and jazzy Gershwin hits to the more sublime classical works, including Vivaldi’ Four Seasons and lesser known Greek dances.

Last Night Of The Proms is held at the Royal Albert Hall and Nigel Kennedy and Joyce DiDonato are the star soloists in the programme. It will begin with a celebratory new work by Anna Clyne, and will also include a rare performance of Britten’s 1967 overture for chorus and orchestra ‘The Building of the House’, a touch of Broadway magic and the sound of a glass ceiling being broken as Marin Alsop takes charge of her first Last Night.


Gates open at 3.30pm on Saturday 7 September on the Western Lawns with the bar open and refreshments available. Ensemble Reza start the show at 4pm with their fantastic performance and visitors can then watch the big screen to see BBC’S Last Night of the Proms from 7.30pm. The evening will then finish with a Fireworks Finale at approximately 10.45pm.
Visitors are encouraged to bring their own blankets, chairs ,lights and red, white and blue for what is sure to be a rousing afternoon and evening of a great British tradition. A full licensed bar and catering is available at the event.

Tickets for the whole event are £12 for adults, £10 for OAP’s and those in full time education between 16 years and 18 years, and £5 for children under the age of 16. A family ticket can be purchased for £31 for two adults and two children.

Tickets are available from the Congress Theatre Box Office, Carlisle Road or by calling 01323 412000.