Bath

Museums & Galleries

Art Galleries & Museums

VICTORIA ART GALLERY

Bridge Street, Bath, Somerset, BA2 4AT
Tel: 01225 477233
Web: www.victoriagal.org.uk

The Victoria Art Gallery is a free public facility located in the centre of the beautiful city of Bath. Open all year round, it is visited by more than 75,000 people annually. The Gallery houses Bath & North East Somerset's collection of paintings, sculpture and decorative arts. The building was designed in 1897 by a Scottish architect, John McKean Brydon.

The Gallery opened to the public in May 1900 and a monumental statue of the Queen was placed in a niche above the Bridge Street entrance to celebrate her diamond jubilee. The oil paintings in the Gallery's collection date from the fifteenth through to the twentieth century. Among them are works by painters who were active in the Bath area, including Thomas Gainsborough, Walter Sickert and J M W Turner. The decorative art collection ranges from delicate eighteenth century wine glasses to a wonderful array of over 150 china dogs, and the entire collection is displayed in open storage on the first floor. The modern exhibition gallery displays a widely acclaimed programme of exhibitions throughout the year and the Gallery was voted 'best activity for free in Bath' last year.

HOLBURNE MUSEUM OF ART

Great Pulteney Street, Bath, BA2 4DB
Tel: 01225 466669
E-mail: holburne@bath.ac.uk
Web:  www.bath.ac.uk

Open all year Tuesday - Saturday 10.00am - 5.00pm, Sunday & Bank Holidays 11.00am - 5.00pm.   Closed Christmas & New Year.

 
This jewel in Bath's crown was once the Georgian Sydney Hotel, whose glittering society Jane Austen watched from her house opposite. It displays the treasures collected by Sir William Holburne: superb English and continental silver, porcelain, maiolica, glass and Renaissance bronzes. The Picture Gallery contains works by Turner, Guardi, Stubbs and others plus portraits of Bath society by Thomas Gainsborough. Licensed Tea House in Garden setting. Free Car Park. Book and Gift Shop. Lift. Guided Tours by arrangement. Exhibitions and events held throughout the year, please contact for more information. *Limited disabled access.

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FASHION MUSEUM

Bennett Street, Bath, Somerset, BA1 2QH
Tel: 01225 477785       Fax: 01225 477743
E-mail: costume_bookings@bathnes.gov.uk
Web: www.fashionmuseum.co.uk

The story of fashion over the last 400 years is brought alive at the Fashion Museum, one of the finest collections of its kind in the world. The displays include more than 150 dressed figures to illustrate the changing styles in fashionable men's, women's and children's clothes from the late 16th century to the present day.

Personal audio guides in seven languages are included free of charge. For details see our website.

AMERICAN MUSEUM IN BRITAIN

Claverton Manor, Bath, Somerset, BA2 7BD
Tel: 01225 460503       Fax: 01225 469160
E-mail: info@americanmuseum.org
Web: www.americanmuseum.org

The only museum in Europe devoted to American furniture, arts and quilts. The main collection is housed in a series of 18 rooms, showing how Americans lived from 17th - 19th century.

Two additional galleries are located within the grounds, which also feature a replica of part of George Washington's garden at Mount Vernon.

WILLIAM HERSCHEL MUSEUM

19 New King Street, Bath, Somerset, BA1 2BL
Tel: 01225 311342

Home of the distinguished astronomers, William and Caroline Herschel, and site of the discovery of the planet Uranus in 1781.

A delightful Georgian town house and semi-formal garden, furnished and decorated in the style of the period and containing the original workshop where Herschel polished mirrors and ground lenses for his telescopes. The Star Vault is a high-tech auditorium showing programmes on astronomy and space travel.

THE MUSEUM OF BATH AT WORK

Camden Works, Julian Road, Bath, Somerset, BA1 2RH
Tel/Fax: 01225 318348       
E-mail: mobaw@hotmail.com
Web: www.bath-at-work.org.uk

Opening Hours: 10.30 - 17.00 (last admission 16.00).
November 1st to April 1st Weekends Only

2000 years of Bath's commercial development explored on three floors of displays. Experience how ordinary Bathonians spent their working lives over the centuries in reconstructed workshops, offices and a Bath Stone mine.

One whole floor is devoted to the reconstructed engineering and mineral water factory of Victorian entrepreneur J B Bowler and scale recreations of machine workshops, gas lit offices and bottling plant give a unique insight into working life in Victorian Bath. A furniture making works is also recreated. A new gallery '2000 Years of Earning a Living' opened in 2004 and charts the development of the city's biggest industry - Tourism, along with Bath Chairs, Bath Buns and Plasticine, amongst other industries. Audio Guides are available without charge. Group bookings taken all year round by appointment.

BATH POSTAL MUSEUM

27 Northgate Street, Bath, Somerset, BA1 1AJ.
Tel/Fax: 01225 460333       
E-mail: info@bathpostalmuseum.org
Web: www.bathpostalmuseum.org

Open all year. Mon to Sat 11am - 5pm, last admission 4.00pm.

Looking back over 4,000 years of communication, the museum features a life size Victorian Post Office. Colourful frequently changing exhibitions, interactive games and quizzes. Historic talking head video characters, models and collectables.

The first known posting of a Penny Black, the worlds first stamp took place from the City of Bath. For further details see our website.

THE BUILDING OF BATH MUSEUM

Countess Of Huntingdon Chapel, The Vineyards, Bath, Somerset, BA1 5NA
Tel: 01225 333895       Fax: 01225 445473

Discover how the World Heritage City of Bath was transformed from a small provincial spa town into a Georgian splendour within a period of 100 years. The museum tells the story of how this Georgian city was built, decorated and lived in and explores the various crafts and personalities which all contributed to its development.

The visitor discovers many surprises behind the elegant facades of Georgian Bath. Why did house painters boil rabbits and beetles? What did stonemasons do with oyster shells? And where can you find a Georgian Stonehenge?

MUSEUM OF EAST ASIAN ART

12 Bennett Street, Bath, Somerset, BA1 2QJ
Tel: 01225 464640       Fax: 01225 461718
E-mail: museum@east-asian-art.freeserve.co.uk
Web: www.meaa.org.uk

Discover the art and culture of East Asia at the Museum of East Asian Art. Based in a restored Georgian building, this unique Museum houses a fine collection of Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Southeast Asian treasures. The objects on display range in date from c.5000 BC to the twentieth century and reveal the finest achievements in East Asian craftsmanship. A lively, innovative approach is taken to the interpretation of the Museum's collection with emphasis being placed on education.

The Objects are on display in five galleries, four of which house the permanent exhibition. The fifth gallery and front hall are temporary exhibition spaces. The shop sells a wide range of beautiful gifts and crafts including ceramics and textiles from all over East Asia. An unusual selection of greeting cards and books are also available. Please feel free to come and browse.

RADSTOCK MUSEUM

The Market Hall, Waterloo Road, Bath, BA3 3ER
Tel: 01761 437722
E-mail: radstockmuseum@ukonline.co.uk
Web: www.radstockmuseum.co.uk

Offering a rare insight into the history of local people, the museum's superb displays show the industrial and social history of the North Somerset Coalfield, exploring various aspects of daily life.

For further information about this museum in Bath, see our website.