Bridge the Travel Gap

Brighton Pier and Booth Museum of Natural History

The famous Brighton Pier is a magnet to visitors to Brighton. It’s the 2nd most visited tourist attraction after the Tower of London in England.

The majority of the 8 million annual visitors to Brighton go for a stroll around the Pier to enjoy its attractions and the views along the coast of the town and out to sea. I have lost count of the times I have taken friends to see the Pier.

After arriving by train walk down the hill towards the sea until you see, on your left, the infamous Brighton Pier and, on the right, the derelict West Pier.

The 1899 Brighton Pier is a must visit. The shops, food and amusement park at the end are all part of the fun in a day trip to the seaside for the English.

There is also the beach where you can relax.

What is there to do on the Pier?

There is no entry charge to walk on the Pier. The Pier offers several places to eat which will not be found in any Michelin Guidebook. There are amusements for adults and children to encourage you to part with your hard earned money. Palm reading, sweets and lots of prizes which involve Minion memorabilia. You can enjoy the view along the coast and back towards Brighton on a sunny day. At the end of the Pier are a number of attractions a roller coaster and other rides.

Brighton Pier

Booth Museum of Natural History

Booth Museum

The Booth Museum of Natural History is not nearly as famous as the Brighton Pier, however, if you are interested in the history of fossils, birds, butterflies and bones it’s a great place to visit. it’s Brighton’s natural history museum with a huge archive.

The museum is free to visit and closed only on Thursday. During the week on Monday to Saturday the opening hours are from 10am to 5pm (closed 12-1:15pm). On Sunday the museum is open from 2-5pm.

To get to the museum it’s a 20 minute walk from the Brighton Train Station or you can take a No 27 or 14C bus from Bus stop E outside the station. The bus takes 8 minutes to get to the museum at 194 Dyke Road. The museum is opposite Dyke Road Park which has a cafe and the Boat Outside Theatre.

Edward Booth was a Victorian who established the museum with his collections of birds, butterflies, bones and fossils. There are examples of every bird in the British Isles set in diorama as was the custom in Victorian times.

Scottish Seagulls

Both these attractions are family friendly and we recommend taking in a show at Brighton’s official outdoor theatre – the Boat. That way you can cap off a very nice day in the city for the whole family. You can bring your own picnic to the theatre.