Visiting

Opening Times

THE MUSEUM IS NOW CLOSED

COVID-19
During the current uncertainty created by coronavirus (COVID-19) and in the interest of the health and wellbeing of our visitors, volunteers, staff and our wider community the Trust’s four museums are CLOSED until further notice. Read more here

We are open every day between 10am and 5pm (last admission 4pm) until 3 January 2021 except 23-27 November (closed for Christmas decorating), Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.

Joint Visits

We offer a 48hour Combination Ticket for No. 1 Royal Crescent, the Museum of Bath Architecture and the Herschel Museum of Astronomy (which includes one free visit to Beckford’s Tower at a weekend or Bank Holiday):

• • Adults – £16
  • Concessions – £14.40
  • Children – £8
  • Family – £40

Families with babies and young children

No. 1 Royal Crescent aims to be welcoming and inclusive to everyone who visits the museum, including parents or guardians visiting with babies and young children.

There is buggy parking available in the introduction room and visitors are welcome to borrow one of our baby carriers, kindly donated to us by Baby Bjorn. Unfortunately prams and buggies cannot be taken through the house due to the historic nature of the building and its contents.

Breastfeeding and bottle feeding is allowed anywhere where there is visitor seating within the museum. Should parents require more privacy, please ask a member of staff on arrival who will be happy to assist in finding a quiet spot.

Baby changing facilities are situated in the Ground Floor toilet which is located beyond the ticket desk and the accessible lift. This toilet is not accessible to wheelchairs.

‘History Detective’ packs are available free at the ticket desk. They contain activities aimed at children aged 4+. There are also Georgian themed games, books and try-on costumes in the Servants’ Hall.

Have fun!

Visitors with Access Needs

This link takes you to our Accessibility information, which includes a floorplan, the facilities we have and our Access Statement. If you have any questions then do call the museum on 01225 428126 or email no1royalcrescent@bptrust.org.uk.

Groups

We are delighted to welcome groups at all our museums and offer discounted rates and a variety of special visits.
Read our Group Visits leaflet here.
So we can ensure that your party can make the most of the visit we always ask group organisers to book in advance.  The nearest Coach drop off is on Royal Avenue, five minutes’ walk from the museum.

Find out more about Schools and Education groups.

Standard Tours

For groups of 10 or more – discounted entry price is £9.80 per person.  Group leaders are free (1 leader per approx 10 people).  For your group’s enjoyment we recommend that large parties divide into smaller groups of approximately 15 visitors and arrive at 15 minute intervals.

Special Tours

• An introductory talk about the museum, tea and coffee, and access to the house at £16 per person. Usually available during normal opening hours. (Minimum group size: 10 people.)
• A private visit to the house out-of-hours (evenings) including talk about the museum, refreshments (including a glass of wine) and tour of the house can be negotiated (minimum group size: 10 people.) Please note that these tours need to be arranged at least three weeks in advance.

For more information and to make a booking, please contact 01225 428126 or email no1royalcrescent@bptrust.org.uk

Themed Itineraries

As well as No. 1 Royal Crescent, we run three other museums in Bath – the Museum of Bath Architecture, Beckford’s Tower and the Herschel Museum of Astronomy.  Group visits to all these museums are welcome and to make your visit even more enjoyable we have devised several special itineraries for Groups

1)  At Home with the Georgians 

At No. 1 Royal Crescent and at the Herschel Museum of Astronomy at 19 New King Street you can explore life in a Georgian house from one of the grandest addresses in Bath to a more modest home for the ‘middling sort’.  Visits to these museums provide a fascinating insight into day to day life in the 18^th century and your group can explore how different life was above and below stairs, and how many tasks and issues are common to those of today.

Useful information  –  Groups can walk between these museums through Royal Victoria Park. We can provide information on coach drop off points and places for refreshments or lunch.

2)  Bath’s Georgian heyday

In the 18^th century Bath became the most sought after place in Britain outside London and, from the 1720’s, the demand for high quality houses for the fashionable and elite meant the city expanded enormously increasing from a population of c.3,000 in 1700 to almost 30,000 in 1800. No museums illustrate this growth better than the Museum of Bath Architecture, the grand house at No. 1 Royal Crescent and the more modest house at 19 New King Street (home to the Herschel Museum of Astronomy).

Useful information  –  Groups can walk between these museums but we are happy to provide a guide to lead them and providing information en route on some of the city’s architectural masterpieces such as The Circus and Assembly Rooms. Please contact us for details on costs. We can provide information on coach drop off points and places for refreshments or lunch.

3)  Bath and the Enlightenment

The ideas and practices of the Enlightenment touched Bath in many ways including science, philosophy and culture.  In 1766, William Herschel arrived in Bath and the following year he was appointed Director of Music in the city. His interest in astronomy also developed and in 1781, the garden of his home in New King Street became the site of the discovery of the planet, Uranus. This was a major event which rocked the astronomical community and brought Herschel immediate recognition as a serious scientist.

The prolific collector, William Beckford, arrived in Bath in 1822 acquiring a house in Lansdown Crescent. On the land behind the house he constructed a mile long ride with beautiful gardens to the hill’s summit where he built a remarkable 120 foot high tower to house his collection. The tower has incredible far reaching views of the countryside.

Visits to the Herschel Museum of Astronomy and Beckford’s Tower will provide an insight into these two fascinating men of the Enlightenment and their lives in Bath.

Useful information  –  Groups will require their coach to transport them between these museums and coach setting down points will be advised. If required, we can also provide suggestions for places to have lunch and there is the option to add a guide to accompany the group between the two museums.

For more information on our tours please contact the museums directly.

• No. 1 Royal Crescent on 01225 428126 or email no1royalcrescent@bptrust.org.uk
• Museum of Bath Architecture on 01225 333895 or email tbeale@bptrust.org.uk
• Beckford’s Tower on 01225 460705 or email tower@bptrust.org.uk
• Herschel Museum of Astronomy on 01225 446865 or email herschel@bptrust.org.uk

We are twenty minutes walk from Bath Spa train station. See First Great Western or use the TrainLine website for trains to Bath.

We are just a 10 minute stroll from the Tourist Information Centre outside The Abbey Hotel.

The nearest car park is Charlotte Street which is five minutes walk away – though there is a minimum stay at this car park of 4 hours. For more details on the city’s car parks, please visit the Bath & North-East Somerset Council Website.

The nearest stops for First Buses are:

• Nile Street Stop on the Upper Bristol Road – Routes 1, 14, 38 and x39
• Alfred Street Stop on Lansdown Road – Routes 6 and 7

The City Sightseeing buses stop on the Royal Avenue and at the Royal Crescent.