The Beecroft Art Gallery
The Beecroft Art Gallery
The Beecroft Art Gallery
The Beecroft Art Gallery
Beecroft
Art Gallery
Opening Times
Monday: Closed
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: 11-5
Thursday: 11-5
Friday: 11-5
Saturday: 11-5
Sunday: 11-5
Bank Holidays: Closed
Beecroft Art Gallery has a permanent collection of over 2000 works, ranging from 17th-century Dutch paintings to contemporary works.
The collection includes examples by artists such as Molenaer, Ruisdael and Berchem plus 19th-century artists including Rossetti, Constable and Edward Lear. There are works by Carel Weight, the Great Bardfield Group and Jacob Epstein. The local artist Alan Sorrell is represented by his Drawings of Nubia series depicting a visit to Egypt prior to the building of the Aswan Dam. The Thorpe Smith Collection of local landscape views contains paintings, drawings and prints from as early as 1803.
The gallery has a programme of ever-changing temporary exhibitions and displays presenting pieces from the permanent collection on rotation. The Beecroft Art Gallery is also the home of Southend Museums' Fashion and Textile exhibitions.
Southend Museums Service has been acquiring fashion as part of its social history collection since opening in the 1970s. The collections have subsequently been re-housed at the Beecroft Art Gallery and fashion history exhibitions take place there once a year.
The collections' main strengths are the decades from the 1920s to the 1970s but there are important earlier pieces, most notably a rare, 17th century slap sole shoe. Not surprisingly, beach wear is a major area of collection: in 2009 Southend received a donation of 500 bathing suits from private collector, Mavis Plume. They date from around 1900 to the 1980s and include several rare pieces.
Current Exhibitions
Getting Here
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Getting Here by TrainTwo direct rail lines operate between London and Southend - Fenchurch Street to Southend Central (C2C line) and Liverpool Street to Southend Victoria (Greater Anglia). The journey time on both lines is approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour. The closest station to Prittlewell Priory is Prittlewell Station on the Greater Anglia line. Those arriving on Southend bound trains should exit the station and turn right onto East Street, those arriving on London bound trains will need to with the station via station approach leading on to East Street. Continue on until you reach the traffic lights and turn right onto Victoria Avenue, after a short downhill walk you will reach a set of traffic lights where Priory Crescent meets Victoria Avenue. Cross Priory Crescent and enter Priory Park.
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Getting Here by BusThe nearest bus stops to Priory park are located on Victoria Avenue and Fairfax drive close the Main Entrances.
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Getting Here by CarThe A127 and A13 link Southend to the M25. From the north Southend is accessible via the A1, M11, M25 (Junction 29 - 20 miles) & A127. From the south, Southend is reached via the M25 (Junction 30 - 26 miles) Dartford Tunnel & A13. Parking at Priory Park is free and disabled parking is available
BEECROFT ART GALLERY
Victoria Avenue
Southend-on-Sea
Essex
SS2 6EX
Telephone: 01702 212511
Email: museums@southend.gov.uk
Visitor Information
Gift Shop and Refreshments
Gifts, toys and homewares can be found in our gift shop near the Welcome Desk.
Hot and cold drinks can be purchased from our gallery shop along with a small range of snacks. Please note these must be kept in the designated seating area and not consumed around the gallery.
Gallery Accessibility
The front entrance is one level and all floors are full accessible by public lifts. A disabled toilet is available on the ground floor.
Limited disabled parking is available to the rear of the building. Access is through the Beecroft staff car park, which is located to the left of the entrance to the multi-story car park.