Five places that prove Southampton should be crowned the City of Culture

A total of 20 places from across the UK have put in a bid to become the City of Culture 2025 but only one will be victorious.

The winner will be announced next year, but in the meantime, we have a look at five places in the city that prove Southampton should take the crown.

God’s House Tower

God's House Tower

Many Southampton residents associate this historical building with primary school fieldtrips and queuing in the car for the Red Funnel ferry, but do you know what currently lies beyond God’s House Tower’s (GHT) doors?

The oldest part of the building, originally known as God’s House Gate, was built in 1189 and named due to its proximity to the nearby God’s House Hospital.

The original gate was built to give access to the Platform Quay and was used to guard the town from attack by sea.

In the 1960s the building was converted into the city’s archaeology museum.

It was closed in 2011 and in 2019, after a four-year restoration project, GHT reopened as an arts and heritage venue.

The venue now delivers a variety of projects and events, from short creative wellbeing courses to art and history exhibitions.

The cafe also offers tasty vegan treats. 

To find out more, visit https://godshousetower.org.uk/

The Art House

The Art House

A gem in the city centre, The Art House is a performance venue and social centre.

The not-for-profit venue in Above Bar street offers live music, performance poetry, storytelling and comedy as well as workshops and classes, drop-in community cafe events, a regular community pantry and a meeting space for groups.

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Visiting The Art House has been described as “dropping into a good friend’s (slightly quirky) house” and is a safe and comfortable space for everyone.

Further information about The Art House can be found here https://thearthousesouthampton.org/ along with event details.

Southampton Art Gallery

Southampton Art Gallery

The gallery, based in the city’s Cultural Quarter, opened in 1939.

It’s a popular venue for art-lovers, along with those who enjoy the atmosphere of a gallery.

Southampton City Art Gallery offers visitors the opportunity to enjoy high quality exhibitions ranging from painting, sculpture and drawing to photography and film, as well as permanent collection and displays that change regularly.

The gallery is free to enter, and more information can be found on the gallery’s website https://www.southamptoncityartgallery.com/whats-on/

Tudor House and Garden

Tudor House and Garden

Tudor House and Garden is a historic building, museum, and tourist attraction in Bugle Street, Southampton.

Established as Southampton's first museum in 1912, the house was closed for nine years between 2002 and 2011 during an extensive renovation.

The building also boasts a beautiful garden and a café that serves delicious refreshments, including cake.

The house can be found opposite St. Michael's Square in Southampton's Old Town.

Visitor information can be found here https://tudorhouseandgarden.com/

Mayflower Theatre

The Mayflower Theatre

Last but not least, we have the Mayflower Theatre.

Located in Commercial Road, the theatre opened as The Mayflower on 24 February 1987.

It was previously known as the Gaumont Theatre and originally The Empire Theatre.

Every year the theatre hosts a variety of plays, pantos, musicals, and operas, to name a few.

This year sees the arrival of the highly anticipated pantomime Cinderella, starring Strictly Come Dancing’s Craig Revel-Horwood and Debbie McGee.

Aside from hosting spectacular shows, the theatre also offers various programmes, from Mayflower Youth Theatre, Mayflower Junior Youth Theatre and Mayflower Young Writers and Mayflower Junior Writers.

Why do you think the city should be crowned the City of Culture?