In 1897, the architect John Frederick Fogerty was commissioned by Merton Russell-Cotes, then the owner of the Royal Bath Hotel, to build a house as a birthday present for his wife Annie.

Originally called East Cliff Hall, it was built in the northeast section of his hotel's garden, in the Art Nouveau style, with interiors by John Thomas and his son Oliver.

They continued living in part of the house and over the next ten years they paid for an extension to be built and made further donations, including the freehold of the site.

After their deaths, the Borough of Bournemouth took over the running of East Cliff Hall and re-opened it as the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum on 10 March 1922.

[5] Twice-yearly exhibitions of contemporary art support works from the main collection, and have included painter Jonathan Yeo and sculptor Jon Edgar in 2011.