Lord Montagu’s sister Mary Montagu-Scott will be giving guided tours of her mother’s exhibition as part of Beaulieu’s new line-up for groups in 2020, one of the leading destinations for group-friendly visits on the south coast.
Mary will give family insight with a tour of her mother’s vibrant creations including painting, needlework, costumes and home furnishings in The Art of Belinda, Lady Montagu – her story in stitches exhibition, which recently opened in her ancestral family home of Palace House at the New Forest attraction.
Groups can take a personal look at the drawings and paintings from her years as a working artist, bold fancy dress party costumes and accessories, designs which take inspiration from the circus and nature, as well as huge wall hangings which tell the story of Beaulieu Abbey.
Another unmissable artistic highlight for visitors in 2020 is the recently opened Art Russe Gallery at the Clock House. The newly restored historic Clock House building has become home to the first dedicated Soviet Russian art gallery in the UK and shows an impressive collection of 20th century Russian art to an international audience.
In the National Motor Museum, a new-for-2020 specialist tour will take a trip back in time with Women in Motor Sport & Social History. Telling the rarely-told story of women in motor sport, the tour will span over 100 years from the 1880s with tales about early adventures, competitive zest for speed and extraordinary motoring fashions.
The popular Chief Engineer’s Tour with Museum Manager and Chief Engineer Doug Hill will continue to be part of the line-up, along with For Britain & For The Hell Of It featuring iconic Land Speed Record breakers, Road, Race & Rally and The Motorcycle Story.
Always a favourite with groups is the Falconry tour, with a chance to meet Lord Montagu’s official falconer and to visit his Abbot’s Mews exhibition. The remarkable history of falconry at Beaulieu can be traced back as far back as the 11th century and the tour includes a live demonstration of the birds of prey in flight in the grounds of Beaulieu Abbey.
In Palace House, The Victorian Kitchen tour offers tales from cook Mrs Hale about the long hours and hard work in Victorian kitchens and their importance in a country household. These are just a selection of the full range of specialist tours available.
There are over 800 years of history on the Beaulieu Estate in the heart of the New Forest National Park and Beaulieu’s expert guides are eager to share their passion for heritage.
To complete a visit, groups can choose from a wide range of hot and cold food and drinks in the Brabazon Restaurant. Morning coffee, lunches and afternoon tea can all be booked in advance.
Joint tickets are also available to include a visit to Buckler’s Hard, Beaulieu’s nearby sister attraction with its Maritime Museum, shipwright’s cottage and chapel with a hidden smugglers’ cellar in the historic 18th century shipbuilding village where Nelson built ships for his fleet at Trafalgar.
Pre-booked groups of 15 or more can take advantage of a generous group rate and our consultant can create a tailored programme to suit bespoke needs. To request a copy of the 2020 groups guide or find out more click here, call 01590 614645 or email groups@beaulieu.co.uk.