Very interesting (if expensive for £7) look at clothing through the ages. Ranging all the way from…read moremodern shirts and ties through the Victorian ages and even a brief (pun!) display of underwear. (Nothing you couldn't share with a little one.) The Museum is located below the Assembly Rooms and so gets a bit of noise from people walking upstairs. It's also a pretty good echo chamber, so have patience for the kids and the chatterers. Absolutely pick up one of the free self-directed audio tour guides. At most of the costume displays, there is a number on the wall. Key the number into the audio guide and the narrator will point out interesting things you might otherwise miss and worthwhile history. For some of the modern pieces, the actual designer is interviewed. A couple of the displays are interactive (for the kids at least). You can put on a couple of the costumes and if you have a helper can even try on a corset. Very interesting and I'm glad I did it! (No, I didn't have a helper, so no corset.)

This was so much cooler than I expected! Could have spent a lot more time here, but we had a res…read more Got the dual ticket with our visit to the Baths, and this was an unexpected delight. Learned a lot about the royals and what they wore, and also just what people in general wore, how and why fashion changed. It was much more interesting than I thought it would be, and then you get to walk around some of the assembly rooms! Definitely give it a go.

Not the best gallery, the admission just for a small area is not worth it. The free part on the…read moresecond floor is pretty interesting. You can roam around freely.

We stopped here for many reasons: it was sweltering out, the permanent collection is free to…read moreperuse, and my mom heard they had a Thomas Gainsborough. Count us in! We were welcomed immediately upon entering and never felt any sense of pressure to hurry through the gallery. If anything, we could have (and maybe should have) stayed a bit longer to take it all in - there's plenty of seats in which to sit back and do so. But I appreciate all that we saw, including (but not limited to): 'The Bride of Death' painting by Thomas Jones Barker (I was taken with all the symbolism within what is essentially one story frame), Edwin Whitney-Smith's 'The Scarab' bronze statue, and - much to my surprise - the white cabinets against the walls of the room that are positively filled with pullout drawers housing watercolors and pencil sketches of Bath, Somerset, and England (one in particular caught my eye: it was the view looking down on Bath from Alexandra Park, and I had literally just come from the same physical vantage point [and couldn't help but compare my modern day phone photo to the piece of art from the 1800's). I am sure that if we were locals that we'd attend any number of the amazing community focused events they host throughout the year as well. Here's the thing: if art is not your thing... don't come. However: if you love art, even if you just kinda like art, if history and/or art are at all fascinating to you, if you only really like one artist and they carry one of their pieces, you should absolutely come here. It's not an all day affair (the gallery is actually quite small), so give yourself an hour or two and enjoy just another corner of how incredible the city of Bath really is.

Fantastic tour, very much worth it. The layout of the tour is well done -- you learn so much about…read morethe Georgian era - the dress, food, lifestyle, expectations, etc. You'll feel transported. its a walk on tour so you set the pace. Definitely a must do while in Bath.

A wonderful step back in time to the rich, snobby, yuppy, elitist, wealthy lifestyle of the English…read moreElites during the Victoria Era. The Georgia architecture is gorgeous and imposing. The interior rooms are recreated in the 19th century Victorian styles with the art, furniture, and decor. The voice actors breath new life and add an amusing storyline that continues in each room you visit...fascinating! Friendly staff all around, whom all seemed very happy at their jobs and supporting this historical site. £16/$22 for entry, and worth it!

Lytes Manor is a modest but attractive mediaeval manor house, restored in the early 20th century,…read moresurrounded by lovely gardens in the Arts & Crafts style. It is now in the care of the National Trust. As well as the house and gardens, there is a cafe, and a small second-hand bookshop. The area was part of the Lytes family manor and it's existence is recorded in a mid-13th century. The name derives from the family name (Lytes) and the nearby River Cary. The oldest part of the building is the small, mid-14th century chapel, originally a chantry chapel. The great hall was added in the 15th century, and the oriel in the 16th century. Further additions were made in the 17th and 18th century, but the house was sold by the Lytes family in 1755, and thereafter gradually fell into disrepair and the northern range of buildings was demolished in the 19th century. It was saved in 1907 when it was purchased by Sir Walter Jenner, who gradually restored the house, acquiring genuine period furnishings and faithful reproductions. He also developed the gardens around the house, in the Arts & Crafts style, as a series of "rooms", including two orchards and a croquet lawn, a lavender garden, kitchen garden, and a long herbaceous border. The house makes for a charming afternoon out; there are helpful volunteer guides in every room, the highlight of which for me was the chapel, which contains both genuine and very faithfully reproduced mediaeval stained glass. The gardens are delightful: the herbaceous border is one of the nicest I have seen for a long time, a mass of purples and reds, with delicate creams and yellows. At one end is a border created entirely from a range of white blooms, of different textures and heights. Parking is a short walk from the house. The house mostly provides level access, but some rooms are upstairs. Some of the house corridors and garden paths are narrow, and the garden oaths are uneven. There is Blue Badge parking, an accessible toilet, and a wheelchair is available (best to call ahead).

Lytes Cary Manor is a manor house with an arts and crafts style garden and is owned by the National…read moreTrust. The draw of this house is the fact that it belonged to medieval herbalist Henry Lyte and there is much information on his plant directory - Lytes Herbal. The house extends beyond the walls and into a magnificent garden where hedges form outdoor rooms and, eventually, you are led from the formal to the riverside and lowland walks. Topiary is evident throughout the garden and to be admired! Light refreshments are available from the cafe and, in the summer, there are some great family events. Couple a trip here with a trip to Barrington Court or perhaps Montacute House.

From the centre of Bath, if you look towards Bristol, you can clearly see Beckfords Tower looking…read moredown on the City. Its worth a visit for to hear the history of the Beckford family but the view from the tower is not as good as I thought it would be. I've been twice and it wasn't busy either time, which is good as the staircase is narrow and the top viewing areas can only accomodate a handful of people at a time.

Most people, when visiting Avebury, just go to see the prehistoric standing stones and then leave…read more This is a pity, as there is a lot more of this tiny village than the (admittedly UNESCO world heritage) standing stones. Just outside the stones, behind the church, is Avebury Manor. This comprises the Manor house itself, the surrounding gardens, a Dovecote, the Alexander Keiller museum (separate charge) and a 17th century barn and a former farmyard block. The manor house was built in the early 16th century, with later additions. Like the stone circle, these are all in the care of the National Trust. The rooms in the manor house were restored a decade or so ago, as part of a television series produced by the BBC, called "The Manor Reborn". Each of the rooms is decorated and furnished with restored or re-created furniture, to reflect a different period in the life of the house. There is a Tudor dining room and bedroom; the Queen Anne bedroom (she reputedly stayed here); a Georgian styled dining room; the early 20th century billiard room, library and kitchen; and the 1930s lounge. The lounge reflects the period when it was home to the wealthy archaeologist Alexander Keiller, who was responsible for the excavation and restoration of the stones in the 1930s. Unlike many properties run by the National Trust, Avebury Manor encourages a hands-on experience - you can sit on and touch the furniture, play billions on the billiard table, and generally enjoy being in the house. We found this a very refreshing change, enhance by the really lovely volunteer staff on hand. We could not have been made more welcome. Afterwards, do not miss the gardens, the formal garden, kitchen garden and topiary garden are all charming and afford some lovely photographic opportunities. Our only disappointment was the museum (we are members, so did not have to pay, but it is charged separately from the house). We found this a bit disappointing, although it does include the story of the restoration of the stones and there are some archaeological finds exhibited. Afterwards, don't miss going in the barn, which houses a veteran touring car. We visited the café (in the farmyard buildings) afterwards, and had a very nice orange and poppyseed cake and chocolate brownie with tea. I personally find that that National Trust cafés can be a little bit hit and miss, but this one was a hit largely because of the very charming staff. There is parking for those with disabled badges in the village, about a five minute walk from Avebury Manor itself. For everyone else, the main car park is situated about half a mile away, on the A4361 road between Beckhampton and Avebury.

Gorgeous surroundings and relaxed atmosphere. Very spiritual place. We went to the café/restaurant…read morewhich was nice, but the manager was very cold to us and spoke down to his staff (I presume he was as he was the manager as he was the only one not in uniform) The barn was great and a lovely walk through the gardens. Fantastic location. Thoroughly recommend.

Sally Lunn's is a must-visit if you're in Bath. This is the oldest "eating house" in Bath and for…read moregood reason! We had reservations for a tea party - you can also make regular everyday reservations. The tea party included a pot of tea or coffee of your choice along with Savory and Sweet Course. For the savory bun of choice, I chose the Smoked Salmon and for the sweet course, the Cinnamon Butter Bun. While I am not a tea drinker, I loved every moment of it. It was a lot of fun to have a tea party and the food was more than I had expected. If you're not able to eat at Sally Lunn's, they also sell their famous buns by the box!

We came to Bath on a tour and enjoyed our time walking through the town. There was a long line out…read morethe door when we first walked by and were told about this place's history. Later on in the afternoon, I saw no line outside so ventured up and there was a short line inside for those wanting to dine-in. Since I just wanted to go down to the shop, I was able to walk right down. There is a small display down there and little souvenirs. The best part though is that you can order the buns to-go here and they bring them to you outside where you will be waiting after shopping in the shop. I got one of each flavor and waited about 10 minutes for the buns to arrive. It came in a fancy box, but no bag as you had to have purchased that back in the shop. Of the Lemon, Cinnamon, and chocolate, my favorite was Lemon. The curd was so thick and rich and the bun perfectly toasted. Highly recommend!!

Stumbled upon a wonderful little pub that is community owned by 700 of the locals that often…read morefrequent the place. Much friendlier vibe than I've found at many of the other crowded areas in bath and cheaper prices if you venture just a bit out from the main city centre area.

Although it is definitely a tourist place, the portions are large and the food is solid. The…read moreservice was also friendly and prompt.