Exhibition Picks in Bath
American Museum, Bath. Claverton. American stories, heritage, art and design, from Indigenous peoples to Shakers and beyond, with textiles, furniture and much more presented in period rooms, as well as special exhibitions. From 4 July to 3 Jan 2027: Circus of Curiosities: An Exhibition of Moving Marvels. This vibrant exhibition celebrates the art of automata – playful, intricate mechanical sculptures brought to life by hand. Visitors of all ages can explore a world of animated models, toys and whimsical characters. Also: America 250 – the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution (BRLSI). Free exhibition. 10am-4pm. Until Sat 26 Sep. Worlds Apart: rare early photographs of China & Bath. Explore our rare and wonderful collection of 19th century photographs.
Burdall’s Yard. See www.burdallsyard.co.uk/ An exhibition by Fi Smith: Walking Memories: Land and Sea New solo art exhibition. Showing until August 2nd. Saltford-based professional artist whose paintings are inspired by beautiful gardens, countryside and coast in the South West.
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. From April 2025: Capturing the Cosmos: Astrophotography by the Bath Astronomers.
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.
Holburne Museum. At the heart of the Holburne Museum is the collection of Sir William Holburne (1793-1874), fifth baronet of Menstrie. Exhibitions: Beyond Impressionism: Printmaking from Manet to Picasso (to 13 September) an exhibition celebrating the resurgence of printmaking from the mid-19th century onwards. The New Schroder Gallery open daily, 10am-5pm.
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. The public art museum opened in 1900 to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria. It is a Grade II listed building and houses over 1,500 objects of art including a collection of oil paintings from British artists dating from 1700 onwards as well as many paintings and illustrations depicting Bath over the centuries. Exhibition: to 6 September, Norman Ackroyd: The Transience of Light. Spanning five decades of practice, this exhibition brings together Ackroyd’s spectacular etchings from the 1980s onwards, with a focus on how he portrayed natural light with exceptional finesse.
Attractions in Bath
Assembly Rooms. The National Trust are working on the Georgian Experience, due to open in 2026.
Bath Abbey. Not just a place of worship but also features a shop, tower tours, a discovery centre and a social history museum. (Pictured)
Bath City Farm. 37 acres overlooking the city on Kelston View. A working farm with café, facilities, workshops and gardens – and animals.
Bath Fashion Museum: Currently closed. To reopen in the former Post Office in the future.
Bath Medical Museum: The Museum is not open but arrangements to visit can be made. Hetling Pump Rm, 1 Hetling Court.
Bath World Heritage Centre. Interactive exhibits and displays reveal the history of Bath.
Beckford’s Tower and Museum. An architectural folly built in neo-classical style on Lansdown Hill.
Jane Austen Centre. Gay Street. Everything you need to know about the author and her life.
Jewish Burial Ground: Open days are advertised. The burial ground is located in Combe Down on Bradford Rd by the roundabout entrance to Mulberry Park, 1 Greendown Place BA2 5DD.
Mary Shelley’s House of Frankenstein. Gay Street. Monsters and more.
Museum of Bath Architecture. Currently closed to visitors, but open for events and private tours.
Museum of Bath Stone. 54A Combe Road, Combe Down. Discover the story of the stone of Combe Down, its geology, archaeology, social history and ecology.
No.1 Royal Crescent. See what life was like for the wealthy and their servants in 18th century Bath.
Old Theatre. Old Orchard Street. Open on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday for Tours.
Prior Park Landscape Garden. Fabulous views plus the palladian bridge. National Trust property.
Roman Baths. The hot water that comes out of the ground is the reason Bath exists. A tour of the city’s history from the time of the Romans to the renewed interest by the Georgians up to today’s discoveries.
Parks in Bath
Alexandra Park: Famed for its vantage point with views of Bath below.
Alice Park: With a playground and cafe.
Beazer Maze: By Pulteney Bridge.
Henrietta Park: Located behind Great Pulteney Street.
Hedgemead Park: Off Lansdown Road on a steep slope.
Parade Gardens: The riverside park with views of Pulteney Bridge and the weir.
Prior Park Landscape Garden: NT treasure with a Palladian Bridge.
Royal Victoria Park: Next to the Royal Crescent, it features a wonderful children’s adventure playground and the botanical gardens.
Sydney Gardens: They run alongside the canal and has the Holburne Museum at one end.