Museums in Bath

No. 1 Royal Crescent is a house museum at the western end of the Royal Crescent, meticulously restored and furnished to show how a wealthy Georgian family would have lived in the late 18th century. Managed by the Bath Preservation Trust, it offers an intimate window into Georgian domestic life.

The Museum of Bath Architecture tells the story of how Bath was transformed from a modest medieval wool town into one of Europe's most beautiful cities. Housed in the 18th-century Countess of Huntingdon's Chapel on The Vineyards, it uses models, drawings, and interactive displays to explain the vision of the Wood family and other architects.

The Herschel Museum of Astronomy occupies the house at 19 New King Street where William Herschel discovered the planet Uranus on 13 March 1781. The museum celebrates the astronomical achievements of William and his sister Caroline, displaying replica telescopes, original documents, and a recreated Georgian garden.

The Holburne Museum is Bath's oldest public art gallery, founded on the collection of Sir William Holburne. Housed in a Grade I listed Georgian building at the end of Great Pulteney Street, it displays fine art, silver, porcelain, and period furniture, complemented by a striking modern extension by Eric Parry Architects.

The Jane Austen Centre is a permanent exhibition dedicated to Bath's most famous literary resident, exploring how the city influenced her life and novels. Located in a Georgian townhouse on Gay Street, it uses period costumes, interactive exhibits, and a café to bring Austen's world to life.

The American Museum and Gardens is the only museum of Americana outside the United States. Located at Claverton Manor, a Grade I listed Georgian house overlooking the Limpley Stoke Valley, it recreates complete American domestic interiors from the 17th to 19th centuries and features extensive themed gardens.

The Fashion Museum Bath holds one of the world's great collections of historical and contemporary dress, spanning from the 17th century to the present day. The collection contains over 100,000 objects and hosts the annual Dress of the Year display selected by a leading fashion expert.