Attractions in Bath

The museums in Bath and beyond take you on a trip through time. There's such an exceptional choice that we can only highlight a handful - the world famous Roman Baths, the Fashion Museum ('400 years of fashion'), Jane Austen Centre (a shrine to the city's most famous resident), Number 1 Royal Crescent (an immaculate 18th-century townhouse), the Building of Bath Museum ('see the city grow') and Sally Lunn's Refreshment House and Museum (the oldest house in Bath).

For lovers of art there's the Holburne Museum of Art and refurbished Victoria Art Gallery,as well as the fascinating Bath Aqua Theatre of Glass where you can watch hand made glass works of art being created before your very eyes.

Beyond Bath step back to the days of ancient Britons with a walk around the Standing Stones of Stanton Drew, a day trip to Stonehenge, or a stroll around medieval Farleigh Hungerford Castle.

Roman Baths
Visit the heart of the World Heritage Site. Around Britain's only hot spring, the Romans built a magnificent temple and bathing complex that still flows with natural hot water. See the water's source and walk where Romans walked on the ancient stone pavements. The extensive ruins and treasures from the spring are beautifully preserved and presented using the best of modern interpretation. 'Meet the Romans' children's audioguide and 'Bryson at the Bath's audioguide tours included in admission price. New for 2008: Roman costumed characters every afternoon.

Fashion Museum
A world-class collection of contemporary and historical dress. The displays include 150 dressed figures to illustrate the changing styles in fashionable clothes from the late 16th century to the present day, chosen from the museum's collection of 30,000 original items.

The galleries have been completely re - displayed in a series of themes including menswear and womenswear, dress for day and dress for evening, as well as alternative fashion and fashion today. There is a special 'Corsets and Crinolines' display where visitors can try on reproduction garments.

The Jane Austen Centre
Celebrating Bath's most famous resident, The Jane Austen Centre offers a snapshot of life during Regency times and explores how living in this magnificent city affected Jane Austen's life and writing. 'Live' Guides, costume, film, superb giftshop and an authentic period atmosphere await you at this premier attraction.

Don't forget to visit our Regency themed Tea Rooms. Enjoy a pot of real leaf tea, some home made cake or a delicious light snack. The Tea Rooms have splendid rooftop views over the city.

Note: The Jane Austen Centre will be closed to the general public on Wednesday 19th and Thursday 20th March 2008 whilst their new exhibition 'Romance and Reality' is being installed.

Number One Royal Crescent
Number One was the first house to be built in the Royal Crescent, John Wood's masterpiece of Palladian design. The magnificently restored and authentically furnished town house creates a wonderful picture of fashionable life in 18th century Bath, including a superbly appointed dining room, elegant drawing room, a deliciously feminine bedroom and bustling Georgian kitchen. Open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10.30-17.00 February 16 - October 25, 10.30-16.00 October 26 - December 7 and 13/14 December. Last admission half an hour before closing. Closed Good Friday and Mondays, open Bank Holidays.

Building of Bath Museum
The only museum in Bath about Bath. Housed in a beautiful gothic chapel, the museum shows how Georgian Bath was developed, built, decorated and lived in. A hands on experience of an amazing triumph of architecture.

Sally Lunn's Refreshment House & Museum
No visit to Bath is complete without a trip to the oldest house in Bath (c.1483). Centrally located and home of the world famous Sally Lunn Bun (exceptionally light semi sweet bread) and now a living museum where visitors can experience a taste of Bath just a few minutes from the Abbey.

See excavations that show how this site has been used to refresh townspeople and travellers since Roman times. Also preserved is the original kitchen Sally Lunn used over 300 years ago.

Holburne Museum of Art
The Holburne Museum closed its doors to the public in July 2008, as it takes the first steps on the road of a major development project, scheduled for completion in Autumn 2010.

The development will see the Museum completely refurbished and more space provided for every aspect of its activity through its extension, designed by Eric Parry, opening onto Sydney Gardens.

The Museum was founded to display the personal collection of Sir William Holburne, a sailor who grew up in Bath and spent his long retirement here. Widely known for his silver and Old Master paintings, Sir William also collected porcelain, glass, furniture, portrait minatures and Italian bronzes such as the famous 'Kneeling Venus' once owned by Louis XIV. Since Sir William's time the collection has been greatly expanded and now includes landscapes by Guardi and Turner and outstanding portraits by Stubbs, Ramsay, Raeburn, Zoffany and Bath's own artists Thomas Gainsborough, William Hoare and the Barkers of Bath.

Bath Aqua Theatre of Glass
Enjoy the ancient skills of the glassblowers and stained glass artists, in this unique working museum, in the heart of the artisan quarter of Bath. Bath Aqua Glass is coloured by adding Copper Oxide to molten glass, creating beautiful aquamarine colour, reminiscent of the Spa waters, which contain Copper that taint the waters a green hue.

Blow your on paperweight in Bath
Bath Aqua Glass Theatre of Glass are introducing a new dimension to the glass-blowing experience. Blow your own paper weight with a professional glass-blower. This will be available on Fridays and Saturdays you will get 3 to one tuition with the Bath Aqua glass blowers and take home you very own work of art you can also sign it yourself.