We’re delighted to be looking after the historic Bath Assembly Rooms as we begin to build a new Georgian experience that will reveal stories of its social life in a way that is tangible and exciting.
The National Trust has owned Bath Assembly Rooms since 1931 and in March 2023 took on the day to day management of this historic building. Work is underway to create an experience that will transport visitors back to the social scene of Georgian Bath in the late eighteenth-century, whilst remaining open during this transition as much as possible.
The Assembly Rooms are a significant part of the World Heritage Site of Bath and our ambition is to explore the important role they played in society, and what that means to us today, while celebrating its beauty and splendour.
We plan to create an experience that will transport our visitors to Georgian Bath, while exploring the role that the Assembly Rooms can play in the city today.
Our ambitious plans include reducing the carbon footprint of the building, adding air source heat pumps, solar panels and a new electricity substation to reduce the use of fossil fuels. These plans were outlined in a planning application in January 2024 for which a decision is still pending. The plans included a new staircase to replace the current post-war construction, a lift to all floors and a changing places toilet which will help us reach our goals of enabling access for everyone. At this point we estimate the project to cost in excess of £17million and we'll be looking for external support to help realise this vision.
- Tom Boden, National Trust General Manager for the Bath Portfolio
Between now and opening we’ll be uncovering the history of the building, testing and finalising our plans and undertaking building works. We hope to open the new visitor offer in 2026.
During this time we will open the rooms whenever possible, with behind-the-scenes tours to share the ongoing work and through partnership events. We'll be sharing the stories we uncover and gathering feedback on our plans for the future.
We are also working with partner organisations to see how the rooms can be used for public benefit during this period.
Find out what's on at the Bath Assembly Rooms here.
We're busy working with creative colleagues, partner organisations and the local community to develop an exciting and relevant future for the building.
Research and historical records are underpinning our decisions to ensure the full story of Bath Assembly Rooms can be enjoyed by everyone.
Through engaging communities and local groups, we want to make sure the Bath Assembly Rooms provide inclusive experiences and various ways people can get involved, including volunteering and programming opportunities.
March 2024
Contractors finished onsite after stripping back walls and ceilings in the basement to reveal the original architecture. With the work finished we launched the start of specialist event tours with the behind-the-scenes hard hat tours.
Explore the objects and works of art we care for at the Assembly Rooms on the National Trust Collections website.
Explore the Bath Assembly Rooms through exciting partnership events and behind-the-scenes tours to uncover what once lay at the heart of fashionable Georgian society.
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