Exhibition Picks in Bath by Harry Mottram
American Museum, Bath. Claverton. Myths and Memories. Renaissance Maps. Until 22 June, 2025. A rare collection of Renaissance maps, presented as works of art, spotlighting their incredible artistry, design and range of forms. A collection reframed by a new curation that invites a range of perspectives, including inspiration from contemporary Indigenous views on the remapping of native land. Featuring maps that are near impossible to see in public – of the few examples that exist, most are in private collections or libraries where they are rarely displayed.
Bath Medical Museum. The Hetling Pump Room, 1 Hetling Court BA1 1SH. Exhibitions: Collections include records dating back to the 1740s, as well as artefacts and photographs relating to rheumatology, medicine and pharmacy.
Herschel Museum of Astronomy. It is located in a town house at 19 New King Street that was formerly the home of William Herschel and his sister Caroline and features a permanent display of prints, objects and everyday items from the Georgian era when the Herschels lived there including telescopes. There is also a new object: a Gregorian Reflector telescope created by James Short, the pre-eminent telescope maker of the 18th century. The telescope, which is on long-term loan from Richard N. Blythe of Shropshire, was created between 1738-1768.
Holburne Museum. At the heart of the Holburne Museum is the collection of Sir William Holburne (1793-1874), fifth baronet of Menstrie. Exhibitions: Joshua Donkor: I have more souls than one – a Ghanian-British painter who grew up in Bath. Using a range of different painting and printing techniques, he literally embeds the histories of his sitters into the work, combining their image with layered visual references to the items they picked out together. to May 5. Iconic: Portraiture from Francis Bacon to Andy Warhol – to May 5. Diedrick Brackens: Woven Stories. To May 26.
Museum of Bath at Work. Julian Rd, Bath BA1 2RH. Enter the world of working Bath through a series of authentically reconstructed workplaces, workshops and display galleries. Exhibition: All Day Long: The Workers of Bath in Fifty Portrait Photographs. Coming this year: Tennis in Bath. Work and play form June 1; and Knowing your Place, Bath through community alphabets from June 27.
Museum of East Asian Art. MEAA’s collections consist of some 2,000 objects. The majority of these are of Chinese origin, spanning from 5,000 BC to the present. The tea ceremonies run on Thursdays every month.
Victoria Art Gallery. Exhibition: Perry Harris: Essence of Bath. To 13 April. A free exhibition of work by local cartoonist and landscape artist Perry Harris; Mirror of Mirth: Satire in Georgian Bath. To 21 April. Step into the scandalous world of Georgian Bath, with satirical works by Thomas Rowlandson and John Nixon.
Exhibition Picks outside Bath
Bristol Museum & Art Gallery. Queens Road. Exhibitions: Bristol Photo Festival: Wildlife Photographer of the Year 60. 100 stunning photographs showcasing Earth’s extraordinary diversity and highlighting the fragility of wildlife on our planet. Until 27 April 2025.
Freshford, Bath. Remembered / Imagined? at The Galleries at Freshford. Multi award-winning painter/printmaker Gail Mason will be exhibiting new works as part of the ongoing series of paintings exploring the semi-abstract landscapes of her day-dreaming world. To15 Mar. Open 8am-5pm.