American Museum & Gardens - one free entry with one full paying adult - 01225 460503
www.americanmuseum.org
Assembly Rooms - free entry. Check for opening times as rooms may be closed for private functions.
Assembly Rooms Cafe - 10% off refreshments - 01225 444477. Check for opening times as sometimes closed for private functions.
Avon Valley Railway, Bitton – free child with one full paying adult – 0117 932 5538/7296 - www.avonvalleyrailway.org.uk
Bath Abbey Tower Tours - 2 for 1 entry - 01225 422462 - www.bathabbey.org. Tours now extended so that visitors can walk along the Nave roof of the Abbey and look down on the Abbey Churchyard from the balcony.
Bath Aqua Theatre of Glass – 50% off admission – 01225 428146 - www.bathaquaglass.com
Bath Balloons – enjoy a weekend flight for a midweek price, saving £10 – 0844 391 0404 - www.bathballoons.co.uk
Bath Boating Station, Forester Road, Bathwick, BA2 6QE - £1 off the price of an adult; £2 off the price of an adult rowing, punting and canoeing; £2 off the price of an adult on Pulteney Cruisers motor boats. Open Easter until the end of September. 01225 312900. www.bathboating.co.uk
Bath open top bus tour (Bath City Sightseeing Tour buses) – adult cardholders pay child rate. www.bathbuscompany.com
Bath Postal Museum – 50p discount – 01225 460333 - www.bathpostalmuseum.org
Bath Priory Hotel - 10% off regular lunch menu prices (drinks excluded) and 10% off full Afternoon Tea. Valid Monday-Friday only (not Bank Holidays). Not available with any other offer - 01225 331922.
20% off full price treatments at The Bath Priory's Garden Spa (valid Mon-Thurs, cannot be combined with any other offer). Sometimes a little time out from the routine is needed at a moment's notice, for those times we can offer the perfect escape and occasionally some last minute rates. Enjoy being pampered in the Garden Spa, find a quiet corner in the Drawing Room or relax by the open fire and of course dine with us enjoying the finest cuisine matched to excellent wines, if you have the time this is the perfect place to unwind. Last minute rates will always be subject to availability and excludes Easter and Bank Holidays. www.thebathpriory.co.uk
Simply Supper: We are delighted to invite you to join us for an early supper, Sunday-Thursday between 6.30pm and 7.30pm. Enjoy three courses for only £39 or two courses for £32 per person choosing from our Simply Supper menu. Tables must be booked in advance and the latest time for booking is 7.30pm, you are welcome to join us from 6pm for aperitifs, bookings are subject to availability. This offer is valid from Sunday-Thursday only and excludes Easter and Bank Holidays. Please quote "Simply Supper" when booking.
Thursday 16th August, National Garden Scheme Open Days, 2pm. Explore The Bath Priory's four acres of glorious landscaped gardens; enjoying the sight of brightly-coloured tulips as you step out onto the sun terrace, along with the herbaceous borders and Victorian Kitchen Garen, both flourishing in the early light of Spring. The gardens will be open from 2pm until 5pm. Refreshments will be available throughout the afternoon, with proceeds going to Dorothy House Hospice. £2.50 entrance fee, 10% discount for Discovery Card holders.
Tuesday 15th May, Hospitality Action Gardens Tour, 2pm. As an integral part of Hospitality Action Week, we will be opening our gardens to the public. Our beautiful four acre walled garden has a croquet lawn, herbaceous borders and adjoining garden with a summer meadow and woodland borders. The outdoor pool is surrounded by roses and leads to a stone gazebo overlooking the Kitchen Garden which supplies the restaurant with fresh produce. Refreshments will be available and monies raised will go to Hospitality Action, a charity who makes a real difference to those who fall on hard times in the hospitality industry. A small fee of £8 per person will be charged. 10% discount to Discovery Card holders. For further information, ring 01225 331922.
Wednesday 23rd May, Lunch and Listen with Roger Cook, 12pm. Roger Cook is best known for his ground-breaking approach to investigative journalism, his programme The Cook Report was compulsive viewing. Roger was entirely responsible for introducing a new genre to broadcast journalism. Winning major awards, Roger has many tales to tell from his years as a reporter, worldwide travels and fascinating encounters. This will be your chance to pose any question that you like. The event will be informal and lively, conversation will take place throughout lunch and Roger will ensure each guest leaves with a copy of his latest book, Roger Cook, More Dangerous Ground. Arrive for 12 noon and enjoy canapes and aperitifs before moving through to enjoy a two course seasonal lunch, coffee and petits fours. £45 per person to include two course lunch, glass of wine and a signed copy of Roger's book. 10% discount to Discovery Card holders. Please note that Roger is very generously waiving his fee for this event and we will instead be making a donation to his chosen charity, Dorothy House. To book please contact Isobel Heather, Events Manager on 01225 478388.
Thursday 21st June, Fabulous Summer Garden Party. 12pm - 4pm. Join us for a Pimms and canape reception whilst enjoying an opportunity to meet the "fabulous" jewellery designers and representatives. You will then be shown through to our beautiful dining rooms for a three course lunch with a glass of wine. £29 per person to include a glass of Pimms, canapes, three course lunch, a glass of wine, coffee and petit fours. 10% discount to Discovery Card holders. Call 01225 330333 to reserve tickets and quote "fabulous".
Tuesday 4th December, Christmas with Caines. 7pm. This wonderful evening will begin in the Bath Priory's enchanting Drawing Room, where the log fire glows as you enjoy your aperitif. For lovers of fine food and wine these events promise to be hugely enjoyable, informative and above all fun. Guests are seated in the Dining Room where Michael Caines will talk through each course of the unique menu, touching on the seasonal ingredients that have combined to create each detailed dish. Matching wines have also been selected for the evening. A perfectly exclusive start to the festive season. £140 per person. Unfortunately no discount for this event.
Bath Spa Live - £2 off full-price tickets - a new initiative from within the School of Music & Performing Arts at Bath Spa University at venues including the Michael Tippett Centre and the University Theatre - www.bathspalive.com. 01225 463362.
Bath Tourist Information Centre - free "Bath Visitor Guide" annual publication produced by Bath Tourism Plus - 0906 711 2000 - 50p/min. www.visitbath.co.uk
Beckford's Tower, Lansdown Road, Bath - 50p discount - 01225 460705 - www.bath-preservation-trust.org.uk
Opens for new season Saturday 7 April 2012 (Easter Saturday).
Bristol Blue Glass - 15% off Bristol Blue Glass in our factory shop at Unit 7, Whitby Road, Brislington, Bristol - 0117 972 0818 - www.bristol-glass.co.uk
Building of Bath Collection – 50p discount – 01225 333895 - www.bath-preservation-trust.org.uk/museums/bath
Farrow & Ball, 124-126 Walcot Street, Bath - to celebrate their involvement with the restoration of the Ballroom in the Assembly Rooms, Farrow & Ball is offering a complimentary sample pot of paint of your choice. Terms and conditions apply. Available through the Bath showroom - 01225 466700. www.farrow-ball.com
Farleigh Hungerford Castle - 2 for 1 admission. One free entry per card with one full paying adult. - www.english-heritage.org.uk/farleighhungerford
Fashion Museum - free entry. www.fashionmuseum.co.uk
Sport and Fashion. In the year of the 2012 Olympics, this special display will examine the close connection between active sportswear and fashion by showcasing examples of historic sportswear from the museum collection alongside modern fashions and the very best of today's sportswear. The red, white and blue suit that Olympic gold medallist Amy Williams wore at the Vancouver Winter Olympics in 2010 will be on display. A one-off photographic display will run alongside the exibition profiling the work of the influential stylist Ray Petri who created Buffalo, a design collective of young talented photographers, stylists and models in the 1980s. Petri's ground-breaking work created a cool aesthetic and produced some of the most famous front covers of the iconic magazine The Face.
Family drop-in activities - free:
Tuesday 5 June, 10.30am-12.30pm and 1.30pm-3.30pm. The Jewel in the Crown
Herschel Museum of Astronomy - one free entry with one full paying adult - 01225 446865 - www.bath-preservation-trust.org.uk/museums/herschel.
May - mid December: Constructing the Heavens
Star Parties and Solar Observations. Once again collaborating with the Wiltshire Astronomical Society and the Griffon Educational Observatory for a series of Star Parties supported by Bath & North East Somerset Council. These sessions are FREE and open to everyone and are held in Royal Victoria Park in front of No 1 Royal Crescent. Saturday 11 August - From 8pm, the Moon and Saturn setting. Saturday 20 October - From 9pm.
Summer Solstice Observation, Thursday 21 June, Kingston Parade adjacent to Bath Abbey. Local astronomers will show how to use a solar telescope and view the sun safely.
Holburne Museum - £1 reduction for temporary exhibitions - 01225 388569 - www.holburne.org
At the Holburne Museum you will find a beautiful and fascinating art collection in one of Bath's great buildings. Our stunning new extension with its galleries and garden cafe opens onto the park behind, serving fresh seasonal lunches, delicious cakes and fairly traded coffee and tea. With everything from Renaissance treasures to masterpieces by Gainsborough and from fine embroideries to exquisite silver, there is lots to enjoy and explore. An exciting programme of events and changing exhibitions means there will always be something new to discover. Spectacular new displays now show the collection as it has never been seen before. Admission is free, with a charge for temporary exhibitions. On every floor you'll find new and inventive ways to explore objects and discover many of the fascinating stories behind them. The Museum is 0.5 miles from the city centre, a 10 minute walk to one of the most enviable locations within the city. We sit in our own grounds, so there is plenty of room to walk and the Kennet and Avon Canal runs through Sydney Gardens, the park behind us. Discovery Card holders can enjoy £1 discount on the exhibition admission charge. The Museum is fully accessible.
HorseWorld, Whitchurch – 50% discount – 01275 540173 - www.horseworld.org.uk
Enjoy a brilliant day out with interactive sessions with the rescued animals and fantastic indoor and outdoor play areas. Discovery Card holders can enjoy half price admission throughout the year to HorseWorld.
Jane Austen Centre – free entry – 01225 443000 www.janeausten.co.uk.
The Regency Tea Room Manger of the Jane Austen Centre would like you to come and try her delicious tea, cakes, snacks and savouries. She serves 17 varieties of loose leaf teas and a range of coffees. To help you make up your mind to visit, she is offering all Discovery Card holders a tasty 15% off all menu items. Entry is free, just go up to the 2nd floor.
Museum of Bath at Work – £2 off adult admission/£1 off concessions – 01225 318348 - www.bath-at-work.org.uk
Lectures:
Spring Events:
Tuesday 15 May - Thursday 1 November, Their Very Own and Golden City: The Snow Hill Estate - A Community Exhibition, Mezzanine Display Hall.
Saturday 19 May and Saturday 26-Tuesday 29 May, 1877 - Two Plays: Two plays inspired by real events in Bath's history. Presented by The Colin Barnes Drama Group. Bath Festival Fringe event.
Wednesday 30 May - Sunday 1 July, Grey: A Picture of Dorian Grey. Drama presentation by Richard Carter. Bath Festival Fringe event.
Museum of East Asian Art – £1 discount – 01225 464640 - www.meaa.org.uk
No. 1 Royal Crescent – admission free on a Friday – 01225 428126. www.bath-preservation-trust.org.uk/museums/no1
Major restoration at No 1A. Reuniting Bath's famous Georgian townhouse museum at No 1 Royal Crescent with its original servants' wing next door has started. The basement kitchen and scullery will be the first rooms to be prepared, before the ground floor ticket hall, introduction room and shop are laid out. A Gentleman's Retreat will also be brought back to life using information uncovered about its past decortion and the interests of the first resident, Henry Sandford. The exterior of 1A will be returned to its more attractive Georgian appearance with restored Venetian windows and renovated stonework. The works will continue until Autumn, by which time the upstairs will house the Brownsword Gallery - an exhibition space where visitors can see various changing displays relating to the house, ranging from additional pieces of the museum's collection to children's drawings after a school visit. A lift will connect all three floors in 1A and will in due course offer disabled access to two floors in No 1. These works will be followed by works to No 1, which will remain open whilst works are underway in No 1A. Further information on the website.
Do you know anything about the history of these holes? Eagle-eyed observers may have seen two symmetrical holes drilled into the wall of No 1A. Around 30cm diameter, they have been blocked up for a long time, but none of our experts know why they are there! Do you? Email: jabbott@bptrust.org.uk.
Parade Gardens – free entry – 01225 477744 (summer only)
Prior Park Landscape Garden – Free cup of tea on production of your Discovery Card. Access by public transport, foot or bicycle – 01225 833422. www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Pulteney Princess, boat trips in Bath - £2 off adult return fare - 07791 910650
www.pulteneyprincess.co.uk
Pump Room – 10% off refreshments – Searcys, 01225 444477 - www.romanbaths.co.uk
Radstock Museum - 50p off admission – 01761 437722 - www.radstockmuseum.co.uk.
Roman Baths - free entry - www.romanbaths.co.uk
Family drop-in activities - Free: Monday 4-Friday 8 June, 10am-1pm and 2pm-4pm. Emperor For a Day. Crown yourself with a Roman laurel wreath.
Royal Crescent Hotel - 10% discount on Lunch and Full Afternoon Tea valid Monday-Friday - 01225 823333 www.royalcrescent.co.uk
Sally Lunn's - 2 for 1 on morning coffee. Valid daily except Saturday until 11.45am, not valid during Bath Christmas Market - 01225 461634 www.sallylunns.co.uk
San Francisco Fudge Factory - 2 for 1 on a morning cappuccino or filter coffee and a free sample of fudge. Valid until midday. Not valid at weekends or during the Christmas Market - 01225 425714 www.sanfranciscofudge.co.uk
Thermae Bath Spa – Special rates for a spa session in the New Royal Bath. A 2-hour spa session is £21 (reduced from £26) or a 4-hour spa session is £29 (reduced from £36). Spa sessions offer access to the aroma steam rooms, the Springs Restaurant and bathing in the natural thermal waters of the Minerva Bath and the fabulous open-air rooftop pool. Open daily (except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day) from 9am until 9.30pm, pools and steam rooms close at 9pm. Enjoy the quieter times at the Spa mid-week rather than at weekends.
A 1.5 hour Cross Bath session is £8 (reduced from £16), subject to availability. Tel: 0844 888 0844. www.thermaebathspa.com
Victoria Art Gallery - free entry, except special exhibitions 50% off - 01225 477233 - www.victoriagal.org.uk
Open Tuesday - Saturday, 10am - 5pm, Sunday 1.30pm - 5pm. Closed Mondays.
EXHIBITIONS:
Until 19 May, Bath Society of Artists 107th Annual Exhibition. Spring 'open' exhibition with something for everyone with over 300 artworks on view and for sale. Any artist aged 18 or over may submit work for possible selection and winning of an award, including the first prize of £1,500 and public choice prize of £500.
26 May-1July, Richard Burel Bath Markets and Festivals. Completely self-taught, Burel recreates Georgian streetscapes using a dazzling combination of collage and paint. The mixed media approach enables him to capture the bustle and charm of the local scene, including humorous observations and quirky occurrences that have either amused him or fired his imagination. All the paintings are for sale.
26 May-1 July, Sculpture and Sport, A Celebration for 2012. Our great summer of art and sport kicks off with this stunning collection of bronze sculptures created by thirty top British sculptors, each one featuring a different Olympic or Paralympic sport. The sculptures range from the figurative to the abstract and are for sale in aid of the British Paralympic Association and the Youth Sport Trust. The exhibition is supported by both video and live technique demonstrations by talented local youngsters.
7 July-2 September, Graham Dean: Faster, Higher, Stronger. Graham Dean makes a timely and colourful return to Bath with the show of huge watercolours on handmade Indian paper. Over the last year he visited Olympic and Paralympic training camps to make small studies of athletes. These were converted in the studio into large scale exhibition pieces. As well as documenting sportspeople in action, the paintings also explore their emotions in the moments before and after an event has taken place.
7 July-2September, Robert Race: Automata. This amusing show by Robert Race complements the large donations box he created for the Gallery, with its model of an artist painting a portrait. Robert's cleverly designed and witty automata are fashioned from re-used and recycled materials such as driftwood. Guaranteed to appeal to all ages, they will be for sale.
FREE SATURDAY ARTIST-LED TOURS, all 2.30pm-3.15pm.
Friday 1 June, 6pm-8pm. The Bohemian Embassy free concert. Popular local rock band plays live amidst the sculptures.
Thursday 7 June, 12.30pm-1.30pm. Gymnastics event performed by students from Baskervilles Gymnastics Centre. Free.
Friday 22 June, 12.30pm-1.30pm. Tour and talk about the sculptures with sculptor Alan Dun. Free.
TOURS:
Friday 20 July, Tour of the Graham Dean, Faster, Higher, Stronger exhibition with Graham Dean. 1.00pm-1.45pm. Free. Early arrival advised.
ART ON THURSDAYS:
Free talks for blind and visually impaired people. All 10.30am-12 noon.
Thursday 31 May, Festivals and Markets with Richard Burel;
Thursday 21 June, Sculpture and Sport: a celebration;
Thursday 26 July, Automata with Robert Race.
BEHIND THE SCENES TOURS: Explore the Gallery's stores and discover the full scope of the collections. Free, but please book in advance on 01225 477232. Wednesdays, 16 May, 20 June, 18 July and 15 August. All 12 noon - 12.45pm.
YOUNG @ ART ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN AGE 3-11 YRS. £3.75 per child in advance. All children to be accompanied by an adult. Book on 01225 477244. All at 10.30am-12pm and 1.30pm-3pm.
Thursday 7 June, Right Royal Portraits - create a self-portrait and turn yourself royal.
Thursday 26 July, Lighting up 2012 - design and make a model torch ready for Olympics opening night.
Thursday 2 August, Faster, Higher, Stronger - make a sporty scene.
Thursday 9 August, Magical Machine - enjoy our special automata exhibition and create a magical machine.
Thursday 16 August, A Victorian Day by the Sea - dress up in Victorian costume and make a Victorian bather. Thursday 23 August, Seaside Special - use rubbings and textures to create a summer seaside scene.
Thursday 30 August, Jump for Joy - make jointed figures.
West of England Falconry. Have a brief lesson on how to handle falcons, hawks and owls. Learn how to get them to come to your glove, then 'free fly' a bird in the countryside around Bath - 01225 835123 / 07766 767153. 20% discount for Discovery Card holders. www.westofenglandfalconry.org.uk
Bath & North East Somerset Council's Heritage Services also runs a full programme of adult, children’s and family activities throughout the year, culminating in Open Week during the autumn half-term. In Open Week, dozens of independent organisations join us in providing a programme of heritage-based activities for all ages, most of which are free. Your Resident's Discovery Card will be recognised as proof of residence at events during Open Week.