Top Bath museums

Those with any sense and sensibility will make a beeline for the Jane Austen Centre, one of the best-known museums in Bath. It gives a useful overview of the author’s connections with the city, illustrated by extracts from her writings, contemporary costumes and household items. Visits start with a talk (every 20 mins).

Starry-eyed visitors should make for the pocket-sized Herschel Museum of Astronomy. This is the former home of the musician and astronomer Sir William Herschel and his sister Caroline, who together discovered the planet Uranus here in 1781. Among the furnishings, musical instruments and knick-knacks from the Herschel’s era, you can see a replica of the telescope with which Uranus was identified. It’s a little reminder to aim for the stars.

Thermae Bath Spa allows you to take to the waters in much the same way that visitors to Bath have done throughout the ages - but with the advantage of state-of-the-art spa facilities. Heated by the city’s thermal waters, the spa includes two open-air pools, one on the roof of its centrepiece, the New Royal Bath. Treatments offered range from massages to hot-stone therapies, and the small visitor centre has displays on Bath’s thermal waters. Who said you couldn’t learn a thing or two while having a foot rub? If you’re looking for a relaxing Bath holiday, there are plenty to choose from, and you can even include a stay at a lavish spa hotel.

The Georgian-Gothic Countess of Huntingdon’s Chapel - what a mouthful - houses the Museum of Bath Architecture. It’s a fascinating exploration of the construction and architecture of the city, and a great place to start your visit to Bath. Everything is covered, from the kind of facades associated with the two John Woods to balustrades, door designs and such aspects of interior ornamentation as marbling, stencilling and japanning (yes, we had to look them up too).

Fancy yourself the next Vivienne Westwood, Calvin Klein or Coco Chanel? In a building virtually destroyed by bombing in World War II - now perfectly restored - is the Fashion Museum. Dedicated followers of fashion will love its collection of clothing from the Stuart era to the latest Milanese designs. Leave with some inspiration of your own and kill it on the catwalk.

Bath museums don’t come better than this. At the Holburne - with its imposing classical facade and a startling modern extension out back - you'll find an impressive range of decorative and fine art. The collection includes mainly furniture, silverware, porcelain and paintings, including several works by Gainsborough, notably the famous Byam Family, his largest portrait.

If you’re still wondering how the Darcys and Bennets lived, head to No. 1 Royal Crescent. The house has been decorated in late eighteenth-century style (the age of Austen), with a faithful collection of historic furniture, portraits and household objects. There’s no better place to get a feel of how Bath’s fortunate and fashionable spent their days.