Saturday, 10th April   2010 (see train times below)
Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum
East Cliff Promenade, Bournemouth
BH1 3AA

£20.85 – £32 adult  / £1 – £16 child (final cost will depending on total number travelling (see below) Deadline for booking: Wednesday, 31st March

9:05 depart Waterloo [11:26 arrive Bournemouth]
16:59 depart Bournemouth [19:34 arrive Waterloo]

Mark the gradual onset of summer with a day trip to one of the UK’s best-loved seaside resorts and visit to one of its quirkiest and most personal museums.

The museum’s founders, Sir Merton and Lady Russell-Cotes, were lovers of Japanese art.  As owners of the Royal Bath Hotel, they employed the artist, John Thomas, to decorate the hotel in Japanese style.  Many of the Japanese objects eventually ended up in the Russell-Cotes’ home, East Cliff Hall – now this museum.  John Thomas’ work can be found on ceilings, walls, covings, and even stained-glass around the house.

While in Bournemouth, Thomas also produced a Portfolio of Japanese Sketches.  This provides vital clues to the origins of the decoration in the house, and is the main exhibit in Manga to Mural.

9:05     depart London Waterloo by train

12:00   introduction to the exhibition and guided tour of the house by
                 Shaun Garner, Collections Development Manager

13:00   lunch in the café (we will book seats, but you will be able to order
                 individually)

Afternoon free to explore the house further, to visit the Russell-Cotes’ mausoleum, enjoy Bournemouth’s famous pier or, weather permitting, to wander along some of the 7 miles of beaches

16:59   return to London by train 

The cost of the day will depend on the number travelling. We hope to take advantage of group tickets, which allow 4 adults and up to 4 children to travel together for £20.85 and £1 (return fares per person) respectively. We will confirm the cost before making firm bookings.

To register interest in this trip, please contact the office on events@japansociety.org.uk or tel: 020 7828 6330. The deadline for provisional booking for this event is Wednesday 31st March. We will be monitoring the situation regarding the planned RMT strike action (due to take place from 6th – 9th April) over the next few days but we hope that the event will be able to go ahead as planned.

As we need to buy train tickets in advance we would be grateful if you could contact the Japan Society office as soon as possible if you plan to attend. If there is no early resolution to the industrial dispute we will unfortunately have to postpone this trip.