Hunt for dragons at the Royal Pavilion this summer

If you are looking to fill a summer afternoon with something the kids will actually get into, Brighton has a dragon-themed option that is hard to argue with. The Royal Pavilion has been quietly playing host to a family-focused exhibition called DRAGONS, and it is exactly the kind of thing that turns a standard museum visit into a proper mission for younger visitors.

The premise is simple enough: for more than two centuries, dragons have been hiding in plain sight across the Pavilion's ceilings and chandeliers, and now a mysterious nest has appeared inside the palace, turning the whole building into a hunt. It opened back in March and runs right through to 1 November, so it is very much a fixture of the summer season rather than a one-off event. The idea is to get families looking more closely than ever at the Pavilion's Regency interiors, spotting everything from bold, dramatic beasts to tiny creatures tucked away in the most unexpected corners.

The centrepiece is The Great Dragon Count, a playful challenge to figure out exactly how many dragons live inside the palace. The museum leans into the history here, pointing out that despite the Pavilion's dragon-filled rooms, no one has ever actually counted them all in the building's 200-year history. Until now, that is. You can submit your final count during your visit or online, and there is a genuine prize at the end of it: two nights' accommodation at the DoubleTree by Hilton Brighton Metropole, including spa access and an evening meal, to be redeemed in 2027. The winner is picked once the exhibition closes on 1 November, with the good news landing within two weeks of that.

For anyone who has struggled to keep children engaged in a historic house, this is a clever way in. It frames the visit as a treasure hunt rather than a tour, and it works because it uses the building's actual architecture as the game board. Curator Dr Alexandra Loske describes it as turning families into dragon detectives, and that is a fair summary of the experience: you are hunting for creatures that have always been part of the story, whether they are curling through gilded decoration or a newly arrived hatchling.

It is worth noting that this is a gentle introduction to the Pavilion's craftsmanship and design, so it doubles as a bit of an introduction to the building itself for anyone who has never been inside. Whether you are there for the hunt or just for a wander through the Regency rooms, it is a low-pressure way to spend a couple of hours with younger children in tow.

If you are planning to make a day of it, the Pavilion sits right in the centre of town, so it is easy to pair with a walk along the seafront or a bit of shopping nearby. The exhibition is built around the building's existing interiors, so it slots neatly into a standard visit rather than feeling like a separate, bolted-on attraction. With the Great Dragon Count running right up to the end of autumn, there is no real rush, but it is a solid, family-friendly option to have in your back pocket for the summer holidays.