18 Exciting museums in Bath to visit (2024)

Bath is one of the most exciting heritage cities in England, for its Roman baths and elegant Georgian architecture. Explore the museums in Bath to learn about the town’s history, as a Roman and Medieval centre of worship, with healing mineral waters that 18th century high society flocked to enjoy.

See Bath through the eyes of Jane Austen, Frankenstein author Mary Shelley, wealthy art collectors and the ordinary working folk who ran the draper’s shops, bakers and workshops. Whatever your interest, there’s a Bath museum for everyone to enjoy!

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Roman Bath Museum

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Learn about life in the Roman town of Bath at the temple of the goddess Sulis Minerva, whose golden head is on display. See the models of the temple and bath complex, with its impressive stone pediment and Gorgon’s head. Walk around the spaces where everyday Romans bathed at their version of a leisure centre and recorded their prayers to the goddess on clay tablets.

The museum and Roman baths are presented in an interactive way, with different Roman characters projected onto the walls, and real life re-enactors sitting around to tell you their stories.

This is a world class museum and attraction for all ages and one that you shouldn’t miss on your visit to Bath. At holiday times and weekends it’s advisable to book tickets online in advance.

Bath Abbey Discovery Centre

This museum space opened in 2023 following the restoration of the Abbey’s floor and explores the history of the monastic Abbey that was founded on this spot in the 1st century AD. On display are artefacts discovered in the Abbey and information about life in the Medieval monastery. The Discovery Centre is family friendly, with plenty of videos, interactive exhibits and costumes for dressing up as a monk.

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No 1 Royal Crescent

As you move around the house on a self guided tour, the rooms are brought to life in an immersive experience, through the voices of a wealthy family who have rented the house for the season.

In each room the pictures and mirrors come to life as different characters from the family talk about their daily life in fashionable Bath, the balls and parties they plan to attend and their hopes to improve their social standing. Below stairs, in the kitchen and housekeeper’s rooms, we hear the voices of the household servants, and something of their lives.

This is one of the most beautiful Bath museums, that illuminates the life of wealthy visitors and their households in Georgian Bath. The final room tells us something of the real family on whom the characters we hear from are based.

The Jane Austen Centre

Dress up as a Regency lady of fashion for a photo opportunity with Mr Darcy, in the famous film scene where actor Colin Firth emerges wet from a swim in the lake. Try your hand at writing with a quill pen in Mr Bennet’s study and see the life size wax model, that gives the best impression of what Jane Austen might have looked like.

In the small top floor Regency tea room, you can enjoy formal afternoon teas, with menu options named after Jane Austen characters, such as Mr Darcy, Lady Catherine and Miss Dashwood. The centre organises the Jane Austen festival held in September, with Jane Austen themed events, a costumed ball and promenade through the city.

If you are limited in time, a good way to get around is to see the sights on this hop on hop off bus tour, so you can get off at the places that interest you most.

Mary Shelley’s House of Frankenstein

Mary Shelley wrote her novel in 1816, while resident in Bath, based on ghost stories that she and her friends told each other, while on a rainy holiday in Switzerland. Each room of the museum is dedicated to a different part of Mary Shelley’s tragic life, with the loss of her young children and the death by drowning of her husband, the poet Percy Shelley.

We see a recreation of her imaginary monster, who was named after its creator Dr Frankenstein, a creature that breathes and moves in an eerie way within the museum’s walls. In the attic rooms, you’ll see how the monster was brought to life in stage plays and film, to become the cartoon like version of Frankenstein that we would recognise from old movie posters.

Take care if you visit the basement, where creatures lurk in the darkness to jump out and make you squeal. This part of the museum is an optional extra, and if you scare easily (like me!), just stick to the more traditional museum information and exhibits.

Escape rooms are available in the basement and attic, that can be hired separately for groups of up to 7 people.

Victoria Art Gallery in Bath

The upper gallery contains the art collection of Bath city council, spanning 500 years of European art, objects and sculpture. Here are the 18th century portraits of Bath’s wealth residents and visitors who flocked here to mingle with fashionable society. There are also works from artists at Bath Academy of Art in the 1950s and 60s.

On the ground floor is a smaller exhibition within the gift shop area, and a large lower gallery for temporary exhibitions of contemporary artists, which changes every couple of months. The permanent exhibition in the Upper Gallery is free to visit, but there is a charge for the temporary exhibitions.

The Upper Gallery was closed for renovation when we visited (March 24) and is expected to reopen in September 2024, but the gift shop and exhibitions in the Lower gallery remain open.

If you are short of time, you may enjoy this 2 hour guided walking tour of Bath, with explanations of the city’s history and major sights.

Holburne Museum

The heart of the museum’s collection came from Sir William Holburne, after whom the museum is named. Living in Bath, he amassed a large collection of objects, artworks and books, which were bequeathed on his death to the City of Bath.

The Museum has reopened after a long renovation, including a modern glass extension at the rear. It’s designed to reflect the surrounding mature garden and houses the ground floor cafe and 1st floor exhibition space.

Overlooking the front of the mansion is the spacious ballroom. Facing the back in the new extension is Sir William’s ‘cabinet of curiosities,’ with a selection of small objects he collected and information about his life. The top floor is used as gallery space for temporary exhibitions from contemporary and past artists.

This is one of the most beautiful art galleries in Bath, with elegant portraits hung up the stairs, hosting regular musical events and art camps. The ground floor cafe has a pretty outdoor terrace surrounded by gardens, and can be visited independently of the museum.

Herschel Museum of Astronomy

They both had a passion for astronomy, and it was here that they discovered the previously unknown planet of Uranus. William was awarded the title of King’s Astronomer by King George III, while Caroline went on to discover 8 comets and was awarded the Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society. William later married and his son, John Herschel also took up his interest in astronomy and music.

The house is furnished as it would have been when the Herschels lived there, with a music room and basement workshop where he made astronomical instruments. Telescopes and globes from the period are on display, and the purpose built exhibition space on the ground floor leading into the garden, tells the story of the Herschels and their discoveries.

Sally Lunn kitchen museum

To visit the small museum, pass by anyone queuing for a table and head straight downstairs to the cellar. Here you’ll find a couple of small rooms, to show how the original bakery would have looked, with its wood fired oven.

On the other side of the cellar is an excavated area, with some sections that show there was a building here in Roman times, as well as a later Medieval monastery complex. Information sheets are available to tell you the history of the building, but it’s a small space so probably one for a quick visit if you’re passing.

If you are short of time, you may enjoy this 2 hour guided walking tour of Bath, with explanations of the city’s history and major sights.

Museum of Bath at Work

At the core of the museum’s collection is the Bowler engineering and soft drinks factory. The entire contents of the old factory were transported here and reconstructed, as they were when it was still running. There are numerous other displays about Bath’s trade and industry. A collection of photographic portraits shows not the rich and famous, but faces of ordinary working people.

The upper floor covers the businesses that are still well known names in Bath today, together with a vintage car manufactured in 1914 by the Horstmann Car Company of Bath.

Museum of East Asian Art

The collection was founded by Brian McElney OBE, who was born and resided in Hong Kong for many years, to house his personal collection built up over many years.

Take your time to examine many small and exquisite items in the permanent collection, while the ground floor has changing exhibitions that are connected to or inspired by items from the collection.

The Old Theatre Royal Bath

Subsequently the theatre became a Catholic Chapel and it also houses one of England’s oldest Masonic halls, which is still in use today. Theatrical and musical events are still held in the hall, which retains its original stage.

Visits are by pre-booked guided tours of around an hour, covering the main hall, the backstage areas of the old theatre and the building’s vaults. The tour ends in the vaults, to allow visitors to visit the Edward Gayner Museum, with a collection of rare Masonic artefacts.

Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution

Over 100 low-cost ticketed talks are held every year on a wide range of topics. Many of these are held in both the Queens Square headquarters of the B.R.L.S.I. and are also broadcast online, so can be watched from any location. There’s also a free B.R.S.L.I. App with Discovery Trails around Bath, inspired by the Museum’s collections.

Fairfield House – home of HIM Haile Selassie I

Now running as a museum and community centre, the aim of Fairfield House is to preserve the legacy, conserve and present artefacts relating to H.I.M Haile Selassie, during his time in Bath. The collection of artefacts is a work in progress, with an ongoing appeal to Bath residents for information, stories and objects related to the Emperor’s time in Bath, so they can build up the collection.

The House is opened on Sundays, for visitors to take a historical tour and learn more about the Emperor’s time in Bath, as well as for multi-cultural community events and monthly Rastafari Sabbath Worship.

Bath World Heritage Centre

There are information boards, interactive displays and volunteers on hand for information about the places to visit. You can also download a Bath World Heritage app with maps and bespoke itineraries to help you discover all the city’s heritage sites.

Museum of Bath Architecture

Following a restoration, the chapel now houses a collection of maps, models, building fragments and architectural drawings. They show how 18th century architects and craftsmen turned Bath into an elegant location for Georgian high society.

A highlight of the collection is a scale model of Bath, giving a bird’s eye view of how the city developed. The museum reopened in March 2024, following an extensive restoration.

Museums just outside Bath

There are a couple of museums that are within a 30 minute drive of central Bath and are well worth visiting if you have a car. Visiting by bus from Bath city centre is also possible, but you may need to walk a little way from the bus stop.

American Museum & Gardens

The Grade II listed house is surrounded by 125 acres of beautifully maintained gardens, with an arboretum, wilderness trails and children’s garden. For coffee or lunch overlooking the gardens, stop by the American Garden deli with its outdoor terrace, serving American inspired food from produce grown in the gardens or sourced from local suppliers.

Beckford’s Tower and Museum

Located at the top of Lansdown Hill, the tower was built for the wealthy William Beckford in 1827, as a study retreat and home for his collection of art and rare books. Beckford was forced to live in exile abroad following a homosexual affair that scandalised society, and on his return a decade later he was forced to live outside aristocratic society.

The tower, which has outstanding views over Bath and the surrounding countryside, is now a museum illustrating William Beckford’s life as a collector, wealthy slave owner and social outcast. Visitors can climb the 154 steps of the spiral staircase, to the Belvedere at the top.

Free museums in Bath

Some might say that the whole city of Bath is a free museum, with so much elegant Georgian architecture and picturesque outdoor attractions like the Royal Crescent and Pulteney Bridge. Most of the Bath museums have admission charges, but those that are free include:

Bath World Heritage Centre – free to visit and the ideal place to familiarise yourself with Bath’s Heritage attractions and to pick up a leaflet or download the app, so that you can make a self guided tour.

Victoria Art Gallery – The upstairs gallery housing the permanent collection is free to visit, although there is a charge for special exhibitions. The upstairs gallery is currently closed for renovation, expected to reopen in Autumn 2024.

Sally Lunn Museum – There is a nominal 30p charge to visit the small basement museum, although free for seniors, children and anyone taking refreshments at the tea shop.

Museums in Bath that are currently closed

Fashion Museum in Bath

The Fashion Museum Bath was previously located in the beautiful Assembly Rooms, a heritage building that hosted dances and social events in Georgian times. At the time of writing (March 2024) the Fashion Museum is temporarily closed, with a plan to reopen in a few years time in The Old Post Office building, centrally located on New Bond Street.

Also planned is the opening of a Fashion Collection Archive in the Locksbrook campus of Bath Spa University, to the west of Bath city centre. In the meantime, parts of the collection are on loan for special exhibitions in the UK and other parts of the world. You can also see items from the collection through online exhibitions, via the website.

Website: Fashionmuseum.co.uk

Bath Postal Museum

The museum is now permanently closed

Website: Bathpostalmuseum.org.uk

Where to stay in Bath

Here are some of our recommended hotels in Bath, with something for all budgets and tastes.

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For more about Bath read my article: How to find a fabulous spa break in Bath

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Plan your trip

For more information on all the things to do in Bath, check out the Visit Bath official tourism website

Some of the museum visits in Bath were hosted* by Visit Bath

* More info on my policies page

This article is originally published at Heatheronhertravels.com

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