Museums Bath United Kingdom - Attractions

Sally Lunn's House is the oldest known house in Bath. The present timber-framed building dates from 1492 and Roman and Medieval remains have been found below the cellar floor. Sally Lunn, a young French girl, did not arrive until 1680. She brought with her a recipe for a sweet, brioche-style bread, which has become known as the 'Sally Lunn Bun'. After Sally's death, the recipe appeared to be lost forever until renovations in 1937 uncovered a copy of the secret recipe in a panel above the fireplace. The museum beneath the tearooms offers visitors a fascinating glimpse of history. Adjacent is a cellar containing stalagmites and stalactites. Entrance to the museum is just 30p.

Located underground on the southeast side of the Abbey, the Bath Abbey Heritage Vaults Museum are built over a medieval monks' cloister. The museum provides a concise but complete history of the religious and civil influences on the Abbey. Stonework and artifacts from Anglo-Saxon and Medieval periods are preserved for viewing, as well as a skeleton of a woman found buried with the monks. Other visual and audio exhibits complete your tour through over one thousand years of history on the site. A gift shop is located in the Abbey itself, offering merchandise, such as cards, Christian books, music and jewelery.

Postal Museum is housed in the original Bath post office, which issued the world's first postage stamp, the Penny Black on 2nd May 1840. The Bath Postal Museum opened in 1979 to tell the history of mail delivery from 2000 B.C. to the present day. Historic artifacts such as antique postboxes are on display alongside images and models depicting the changes in the post. The film room offers a short film dramatizing the beginnings of the postal service. Don't miss the library, children's activities room and special exhibition room.

As they say, when in Bath....The Roman Bath Museum doesn't sound thrilling, but it's actually a fun visit, not just some ruins around a pool of water. It's divided into four sections displaying artifacts and there are some great stories on the audio tour.

You will not be bored, and you'll come away wishing you had more time to spend there - and maybe learn a little history, to boot!

No.1 Royal Crescent Museum was the first town house of the Royal Crescent to be completed, and is an excellent example of Palladian architecture. Decorated with handsome hand-painted marbled wallpaper, the rooms of the house contain period furniture and the artifacts of 18th century daily life. On the ground floor there is a dining room with a sumptuously spread table, and a study where the men took their port and card games. On the first floor, a drawing room and a bedroom are carefully preserved. The basement kitchen, with its many utensils and long wooden bench table, seems still alive and working, right down to the old-fashioned mousetraps. Don't miss the period sedan chair in the corridor under the stairwell.

Four hundred years of style are on display in the Fashion Museum, located on the lower floor of the Assembly Rooms. Perhaps the most famous example is a rare outfit from 1660, the silver tissue dress. An audio tour guides visitors through the changes in style and fashion right up to the present day. Modern fashions are represented by the, "Dress of the Year", chosen every year since 1963 by leading experts to record the important developments in the fashion world. Those wishing to study fashion may wish to visit the Fashion Research Centre.

The wonders of the Eastern world preserved in this Georgian house number over a thousand, and date from 5000 BC right up to the 20th century. On the first floor of The Museum of East Asian Art are Chinese jade and stone carvings, as well as a large room devoted to bronze and other metallic arts. The Chinese Scholar's Studio hidden in the back is easily missed, but well worth seeking out. The second floor gallery is full of ceramics, sculptures, and bamboo carvings. In all areas, helpful displays assist you in understanding the significance of the art forms in Asian culture. Around every corner something will catch your eye; look out for Chinese and Japanese lacquer, and prints of traditional figures.

Housed inside the only existing 'Real Tennis Court' of the 18th century, the Museum of Bath at Work has a wealth of industrial and engineering artifacts, dating from the 1870s on display. Most of the items were rescued from Mr. Bowler's Business in the 1970s and arranged here as a recreation of his site, including a fizzy-pop factory and complete engineering works. Other features include exhibits on stone mining and cabinet making, and a motor car from the Horstmann Car Company. Lectures and temporary exhibitions feature regularly. Visit the gift shop for books and cards and there is also a teashop offering light refreshments.

If you’re interested in fashion this is great, there is a large collection of clothing showing how fashion has changed over the centuries.

The home of the astronomer, William Herschel who was famous for his refinements in the making of telescopes. These endeavors led him to the discovery of the planet Uranus, from the garden behind the house, in 1781. This Georgian House has been refurbished to show how it might have looked when William and his sister lived in it. In the lobby, a replica of Herschel's seven-foot telescope and a model of his massive forty-foot telescope give indications of his pioneering spirit in the sciences. The parlor is decorated with reproduction 18th century wallpaper, and has period furniture on display. The china used by John Herschel (William's son) is also displayed. Temporary exhibitions feature regularly.

The Bath Assembly Rooms were the meeting place for public entertainment in the 18th century, and continue to be used today. The Ball Room is the largest space, and was used for dances and conversation. The Octagon Room's shape was suited to card playing amongst the menfolk, while the women often retired to the tea room. An additional card room was added at the back, which now serves as a bar area. Costumes of the kind worn here in the 18th century, as well as many other fashions old and new, are housed in the Museum of Costume on the lower floor of the building; admission is charged to see the museum.

The Jane Austen Centre offers you a snapshot of life during Regency times and explores how living in this magnificent city affected Jane Austen’s life and her writing. It's not a guided tour, but after an informative talk, you can roam through the exhibits that have some gorgeous costumes.

Take a break on the second floor in the tea room and rest your feet, the tea is out of this world!

Situated directly behind the Holbourne Museum in Bathwick, these formal city gardens are ideally placed for a stroll before heading back into the city center. Imaginative flower beds and gracious trees line the walkways and access to the canal provides a relaxing way to waste a few hours. Wildlife thrives in this environment so do not be surprised to catch a glimpse of the resident squirrels. Train spotters (or enthusiasts, as they prefer to be called) will love the unrestricted view of the passing trains. Children will enjoy the play area and sand-pit. As for the rest of us, we will take a seat in one of the wonderful gazebos and watch the world go by.

William Beckford was a scholar, an eccentric, and a very wealthy man who could afford to indulge his enthusiasms. In 1827 he had this 154 foot Tower built to use as a banqueting house, library and study for his collection of rare books and art and as a retreat. The Tower is a Grade I listed building, and visitors can climb the spiral staircase to the Belvedere at the top to admire the panoramic view over the city and beyond. The first floor of the building below houses the museum of prints, architectural models, furniture and objects that illustrate Beckford's life and interests.

Are you new to Bath? Need a place to stay during your visit to the area? If you need something from Bath, chances are the folk at the Tourist Centre will be able to advise. Copies of their extensive brochure of accommodation, interest points, maps and other area information will be sent to you free on request. They can also book accommodation for you in the area, though sometimes it's faster and easier to try doing this yourself. The foyer has heaps of leaflets about local museums and events, and a small shop sells postcards and books featuring Bath and the surrounding areas. There are plans to introduce a network of 'meeters and greeters' who will provide a mobile service for visitors to the city. Watch this space.