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Every reasonable effort has been made to ensure that the information given is correct, but Mushroom Publishing cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions.

To avoid disappointment, we recommend that you contact the venue ahead of your visit to check the details.

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Places to Visit in Bath

The information presented on these Bath pages is based on the Bath City Centre Street Map and Guide

AMERICAN MUSEUM AND GARDENS:
Claverton Manor, Claverton Down, Bath BA2 7BD (near to Bath University). Tel 01225 460503. Fax 01225 469160. Website.
Take the No.18 or 418 bus from the Bus Station (D6) - the bus stops about 10 minutes walk from the museum.
The grounds are open from mid-March to early-November, 1pm-6pm Tuesday to Friday and Mondays in August, 12noon-6pm Saturday and Sunday. The house is open 2pm-5pm Tuesday to Sunday and Mondays in August. Also open 11am-5pm (grounds 11am-6pm) on the Sunday and Monday of Bank Holiday weekends.
The American Museum in Britain is the only museum in Europe devoted to American furniture, decorative arts and quilts. The collections illustrate the domestic arts in America from the late seventeenth century to the end of the nineteenth century. There are eighteen rooms each displaying an American home interior. With displays of silver, pewter, textiles and quilts, American Indian and Shaker art, historical maps and a herb garden. Special events. Teas and light refreshments are available.

BATH ABBEY:
Tel 01225 422462. Fax 01225 429990. Website  Email
Open Monday to Saturday 9am-6pm (end-October to Easter 9am-4.30pm), Sunday 1.15pm-2.45pm and 4.45pm-5.30pm. Sunday services at 8am, 9.15am, 11am, 12.15pm, 3.30pm, 6.30pm.
There has been an Abbey on this site since the 8th century, although the present building dates from the late 16th century. The West Front, with its carved angels ascending ladders to heaven, was inspired by the dream of Bishop Oliver King. Inside there are many interesting memorials and inspiring stained glass windows. The fan-vaulting is magnificent. Bookshop. A donation is requested on admission.

BATH ABBEY HERITAGE VAULTS:
Abbey Church Yard, Bath, BA1 1LT. Tel 01225 422462. Fax 01225 429990. Website
Open Monday to Saturday 10am-4pm. Closed on Sundays, Good Friday and Christmas week. Wheelchair access.
Displays celebrating the history of Christian worship at the Abbey site from Roman times to the present, and the people, such as Bishop Oliver King and Sir George Gilbert Scott, whose vision and faith have ensured the Abbey's survival through the centuries. The museum contains important finds from recent archaeological excavations, including Saxon and Norman stonework, and the 800 year old skeleton of a woman, believed to have been an important benefactress. A model contrasts the Abbey site today with how it looked in the 13th century.

BATH AQUA THEATRE OF GLASS:
105-107 Walcot Street, Bath. Tel: 01225 428146. Open every day 10am-5pm.
Watch the ancient craft of free blown and stained glass making, and learn about the history of glass. Children’s activities. Gift shop.

BATH BOATING STATION:
Forester Road, Bath. Tel: 01225 466407. Open daily April to September 10am-6pm.
A Victorian boating station. A living museum with punts, skiffs and canoes for hire, and abundant wildlife. Tea Garden and restaurant.

BATH POSTAL MUSEUM:
8 Broad Street, Bath, BA1 5JL. Tel & Fax 01225 460333. Website  Email.
Open all year Monday to Saturday 11am-5pm, closed Sundays except by request for large groups.

The letter bearing the first postage-stamp was sent from this address on 2nd May 1840. The Museum has displays and a continuous video showing the development of the postal system from earliest times to the present day, and changing exhibitions. There is also a full-scale reconstruction of a Victorian post office. Tea Room. The Bath Postal Museum website is an excellent resource for everyone interested in the postal system.

BATH ROYAL LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC INSTITUTION (BRLSI):
16-18 Queen Square, Bath. Tel 312084. Website  Email

The museum itself is not open to the public, but is a virtual museum. The BRLSI is also a lively venue for lectures and discussion groups. Please phone for details and opening times (office open 11am-4pm).

BATH'S ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE:

BECKFORD'S TOWER AND MUSEUM:
Lansdown Road, Bath, BA1 2LR. (To get there, take the No. 2 bus from Bath Bus Station or park at the Lansdown Park & Ride, which is about 5 minutes walk away). Tel 01225 422212. Website
Open from Easter to end-October on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays, 10.30am-5pm.

Beckford's Tower was built in 1827 for William Beckford, one of the nation's most accomplished and interesting characters. He used the Tower as a retreat, to study, to house his precious art collection and rare books and to enjoy the commanding view from the Tower's Belvedere. The museum collection is a fascinating display of prints, pictures, architectural models, objects and furniture that illustrate William Beckford's life and interests both at Fonthill and Bath. No disabled access to tower or museum rooms. Shop.

This museum reveals the fascinating story behind the facades of eighteenth century Bath, showing how it was built, how people lived, and describing the process of decorating and furnishing the Georgian interior. Exhibits include a spectacular model of the entire city. Museum shop.

The Georgian Garden has been recreated following the original plan of c.1760 to show a typical layout of the period. The position of flower beds, paths and the trellis were located after excavations by Bath Archaeological Trust. The Garden has been filled with plant species found in other town gardens of the time. Free admission.

The Guildhall is magnificent, with its royal portraits and crystal chandeliers. The Georgian interior of the Banqueting Room is possibly the finest in Bath. Free admission.

The collection of decorative and fine art on display here includes English and continental silver and porcelain, furniture and paintings by Gainsborough, Turner and Stubbs, among others. The museum also displays the work of leading British 20th century arts and crafts people, and maintains a lively programme of exhibitions and events. The lovely 18th century building is situated in beautiful grounds. Disabled access. There is limited free parking, and the Museum Teahouse provides light refreshments.

Jane Austen lived in Bath between 1801 and 1806 and set two of her novels, Northanger Abbey and Persuasion, in the city. This museum explores Bath in Jane Austen's time and the importance of Bath in her writing and in her life. Gift shop.

THE MUSEUM OF BATH AT WORK:
Julian Road, Bath. Tel & Fax 01225 318348. Website. Open daily from Easter to October 10.30am-4.30pm, and from November to Easter 10.30am-4.30pm Saturdays and Sundays only.

This is Bath's industrial heritage centre, exhibiting the city's social, commercial and industrial history over the last 200 years. It houses The Bowler Collection, telling the story of a Bath family firm involved in engineering, and creating fizzy drinks such as Cherry Ciderette and Orange Champagne. The workshops are on show with their original machinery and clutter. There are exhibitions on the story of Bath stone and Bath cabinet making. Also temporary exhibitions. Refreshments and Gift Shop.

This fine collection of original costumes and accessories brings to life the story of fashion over the last 400 years. A free state-of-the-art personal audio tour is available in 6 languages, or there are occasional guided tours. The museum is located at The Assembly Rooms, designed by John Wood the Younger in 1769-1771. The building is owned by the National Trust and contains the original set of nine Whitefriars crystal chandeliers and an original portrait of Captain Wade by Thomas Gainsborough. Gift shop.

For the serious study of fashion, there is the Fashion Research Centre at 4 The Circus, Bath. Open Monday to Friday 10am-12.30pm and 2pm-4.30pm. It is essential to pre-book your visit to the Fashion Research Centre.

Over 500 treasures from the Museum's fine collection of Chinese and Asian Art, spanning 6,000 years of history, are displayed at any one time on three floors of this beautifully restored Georgian house. Exhibits include Chinese jade and bamboo carvings, Tibetan metalwork, and ceramics. Continually changing exhibitions, lectures and events. Museum shop.

No. 1 ROYAL CRESCENT:
No.1 Royal Crescent, Bath, BA1 2LR. Tel 01225 428126. Fax 01225 481850. Website.
Open from mid-February to the end of October, Tuesday to Sunday, Bank Holiday and Bath Festival Mondays 10.30am-5pm. November 10.30am-4pm. Closed Good Friday. Last admission half an hour before closing.

Step inside this grand building to view the luxurious interior of a late 18th century townhouse, beautifully furnished in the style of the day. Kitchen Museum and Gift Shop.

Explore the remains of "Aquae Sulis" - the Roman settlement which later became Bath. Objects found during excavations, including coins, mosaics and stone carvings are on display. Highlights include the Circular Bath, glittering with coins thrown into it by visitors, and the gilt-bronze head of the statue of Sulis Minerva. A computer animated reconstruction and wooden model show the site as it probably looked in Roman times. Free guided tours are available every hour, or use the free personal audioguide. Museum shop. Refreshments are available in the elegant setting of the Pump Room.

The cellars of the oldest house in Bath (1482) reveal its Roman and Medieval foundations, a 900 year old bakery, stalagmites and stalactites, and objects from recent excavations. Home of the delicious Sally Lunn Bun, made according to a unique and secret recipe.

Bath's City Art Gallery. A permanent collection of British and European art. Work by contemporary and local artists, and major touring exhibitions are shown in two purpose-built galleries. Small shop. Disabled access to lower floor only.

While living here in 1781, the scientist and musician William Herschel discovered the planet Uranus. The museum is furnished according to the period, and shows the contribution of William and his sister Caroline to the worlds of science and music. Telescopes and NASA photographs are on display.
New for 2002 is the Star Vault, which uses modern technology to link the work of William Herschel with 21st century space travel and exploration. It gives amazing views of the cosmos through a plasma screen.
Museum bookshop. No wheelchair access due to awkward stairs.

For further information about Bath, including a free visitor pack, please contact the Bath Tourist Information Centre.