Herschel Museum of Astronomy

Herschel Museum of Astronomy The former home of astronomers and musicians William and Caroline Herschel 🔭

Open Tuesday to Sunday, 10am-5pm. Book tickets online or buy on the door.
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Home to the astronomer and musician William Herschel and his sister Caroline. William discovered the planet Uranus from the garden in 1781, and Caroline discovered several comets! Current Exhibition: Herschel 200, commemorating 200 years since William Herschel's death. Come and see Herschel’s original telescope workshop, admire the period musical instruments on display and walk in the Georgian gar

den. Our annual exhibitions showcase precious items on loan, whilst children can play with Space Lego or make rockets in our family workshops.

Congratulations to our ‘Domestic Cosmos’ photography competition winner Tanya Hazell 📷💫 who has won 2x tickets to our ne...
31/08/2026

Congratulations to our ‘Domestic Cosmos’ photography competition winner Tanya Hazell 📷💫 who has won 2x tickets to our new upcoming exhibition at The Herschel Museum ‘The as-yet unseen’ by contemporary Irish artist Grace Weir.

The exhibition launches on 5 September, and was created in response to the Herschel family’s home. The exhibition considers observation as a form of continuous and highly attuned looking, grounded in the rhythms of domestic life, featuring new works including an embroidered piece inspired by William Herschel’s map of the Milky Way and a live display showing the current distance to Uranus from the museum.

We are over the moon to share that we achieved a ‘silver’ award in the Bath In Bloom 'Business premises with a garden' c...
31/08/2026

We are over the moon to share that we achieved a ‘silver’ award in the Bath In Bloom 'Business premises with a garden' category in this year's awards. This was our first year entering and we are delighted that our garden has received this recognition! 🏆🌸

From this very garden on the night of 13 March 1781, the amateur astronomer William Herschel (using a homemade telescope) discovered the planet Uranus. This was the first planet to be identified since the days of the Ancient Greeks. Stand where Herschel made his monumental discovery – a place where the known universe doubled in size when one person looked further into space than anyone else had done beforehand.

The garden has been designed to replicate a planting scheme typical for a Georgian townhouse. Laid out symmetrically with cypress trees and a charming arbour of quinces, it is planted with a variety of native medicinal and culinary plants that were known to have been cultivated in 1794. Come and visit!

27/08/2026

What if the woman who changed astronomy was never supposed to be looking at the stars? ✨🔭

Caroline Herschel was an 18th-century astronomer who discovered comets, mapped the skies and broke barriers for women in science - long before it was the norm. And you can see her story for yourself! Come to the Herschel Museum in Bath to see objects from Caroline’s life, including the original manuscript of her diary. 📖

📅 Open Tuesdays to Sundays, 10am to 5pm (plus Mondays during school holidays)
📍19 New King Street, Bath UK

Arts Award Explore: Creative course for home educated young people aged 7+✨As well as our 'Arts Award: Discover in a Day...
24/08/2026

Arts Award Explore: Creative course for home educated young people aged 7+✨

As well as our 'Arts Award: Discover in a Day' event on 14 September, join us at the Herschel Museum of Astronomy in October for Arts Award Explore, the next step in your Arts Award journey!

📆Wednesdays 7 October - 11 November 2026
⏰1pm - 4pm
📍Herschel Museum & No.1 Royal Crescent education space

This course will introduce you to different ways to make art.

You’ll try out art techniques inspired by our current exhibition on early photography, as well as creating some space-themed art related to the Herschels’ amazing astronomical discoveries. You’ll get the chance to talk to staff and find out all about working in a museum and gallery. You’ll create your own final artwork inspired by everything you’ve discovered during the course, and even share your work in a mini-exhibition! 🎨

How it works:

- Attend weekly sessions and take part in all activities as required

- Do some work and research at home – This is about 12 hours’ worth: we will give you some suggestions on what you can do!

- Create a final artwork inspired by your Explore journey

- Share your findings and creations on our exhibition day

- Record all of this in your logbook as you go

The course is open to home educated children and young people aged 7+ (upper age limit 25). Participants under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. There is no requirement to have completed Discover level before completing this course.

Arts Award Explore is an official Entry Level (Entry 3) qualification on the Regulated Qualification Framework.

Find out more and book your place by visiting the What's On page of our website https://herschelmuseum.org.uk/whats-on/

Looking for inspiration before entering our ‘Domestic Cosmos’ photography competition?🌈💫 Here are a few taken by members...
19/08/2026

Looking for inspiration before entering our ‘Domestic Cosmos’ photography competition?🌈💫 Here are a few taken by members of our team - you don't need to be a professional photographer and iPhone photos are encouraged! 📷

Ahead of our new upcoming exhibition at The Herschel Museum ‘The as-yet unseen’ by contemporary Irish artist Grace Weir, which launches on 5 September, we are offering you the chance to win tickets for 2x adults to explore the museum and exhibition.

How to enter:
1. Reflecting the themes in Grace’s work, of domestic space and light, we would like you to send us photos you’ve taken in your home of interesting light, shadows or reflections. You can do this by direct messaging The Herschel Museum or by emailing them to [email protected]
2. Like this post
3. Follow The Herschel Museum of Astronomy

Closing date for entries is 11:59pm on 30 August 2026

Terms and conditions:
-The prize is 2x adult entry tickets to The Herschel Museum of Astronomy in Bath. Kids enter free so you can bring them along. Travel and additional expenses are not included and the prize is non-transferable and no cash alternative will be offered. Tickets must be used by 3 January 2027.

-Closing date: 30 August 2026 at 11:59pm. One winner will be selected and contacted via Instagram OR email on 31 August 2026. If no response is received within 3 days, a new winner will be selected.

-Eligibility: Open to UK residents aged 18 or over.
-By entering, you allow us to post these images on our social media platforms.

-Meta disclaimer: This competition is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by or associated with Meta.
-Entry implies acceptance of these terms and Meta’s terms.

Home Educators Event: Arts Award Discover in a day🎨📍 Herschel Museum of Astronomy in Bath📆 Monday 14 September 2026⏰ 10a...
18/08/2026

Home Educators Event: Arts Award Discover in a day🎨

📍 Herschel Museum of Astronomy in Bath
📆 Monday 14 September 2026
⏰ 10am - 2:30pm

Join us for a day of creativity, art and exploration, inspired by the Herschel family’s amazing discoveries in astronomy and photography🔭✨

You’ll have a go at different art techniques, discover different artists and their work, and share what you have learned at the end of the session. We’ll provide everything you need to help you complete your Arts Award Discover in a day!

What is Arts Award Discover?🖍️

Arts Award Discover is an introductory award, open to children and young people aged 5 to 25.

To achieve Discover level, children and young people discover the arts around them, find out about artists and their work and share their experiences with others. Children will complete a log book of their experiences, and gain a certificate at the end.

Book via our website https://herschelmuseum.org.uk/whats-on/

Introducing our ‘Domestic Cosmos’ photography competition Ahead of our new upcoming exhibition at The Herschel Museum ‘T...
17/08/2026

Introducing our ‘Domestic Cosmos’ photography competition

Ahead of our new upcoming exhibition at The Herschel Museum ‘The as-yet unseen’ by contemporary Irish artist Grace Weir, which launches on 5 September, we are offering you the chance to win tickets for 2x adults to explore the museum and exhibition.

How to enter:
1. Reflecting the themes in Grace’s work, of domestic space and light, we would like you to send us photos you’ve taken in your home of interesting light, shadows or reflections. You can do this by direct messaging The Herschel Museum or by emailing them to [email protected]
2. Like this post
3. Follow The Herschel Museum of Astronomy

Closing date for entries is 11:59pm on 30 August 2026

Terms and conditions:
-The prize is 2x adult entry tickets to The Herschel Museum of Astronomy in Bath. Kids enter free so you can bring them along. Travel and additional expenses are not included and the prize is non-transferable and no cash alternative will be offered. Tickets must be used by 3 January 2027.

-Closing date: 30 August 2026 at 11:59pm. One winner will be selected and contacted via Instagram/Facebook OR email on 31 August 2026. If no response is received within 3 days, a new winner will be selected.

-Eligibility: Open to UK residents aged 18 or over.
-By entering, you allow us to post these images on our social media platforms.

-Meta disclaimer: This competition is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by or associated with Meta.
-Entry implies acceptance of these terms and Meta’s terms.

Now that everyone's got astronomy on their minds... ☀️🌑Don't miss our Fab Felt Planets activity next week!📆Monday 17 Aug...
13/08/2026

Now that everyone's got astronomy on their minds... ☀️🌑

Don't miss our Fab Felt Planets activity next week!
📆Monday 17 August. Drop-in between 10am-3pm
🎫 Suggested activity donation £2

Afterwards, why not enjoy our free Solar System Trail? Running daily until Tuesday 1 September, this is free with museum entry, and children enter the museum for free anyway with a paying adult (no pre-booking required).

Don't forget we are open on Mondays throughout the summer (10am-5pm)

🌞 How to watch a solar eclipse, according to Caroline Herschel 🌑Here at the Herschel Museum we have sold out of solar sa...
11/08/2026

🌞 How to watch a solar eclipse, according to Caroline Herschel 🌑

Here at the Herschel Museum we have sold out of solar safety glasses ahead of tomorrow’s partial solar eclipse – so we’ve been considering other, more creative, ways of viewing the sun!

In her memoir manuscript, which is on display here at the Herschel Museum, Caroline Herschel recalls watching a solar eclipse with her father in 1764:

“On the day before my Brothers arrival viz 1764 1st. 10th m. there happened to be an Eclipse of the Sun* which we were all assembled to observe in the courtyard around a tub of water, where my Father explained the phenomenon to us…

*See James Ferguson’s Astronomy, page 268.”

A tub of water might not be quite the method we’d recommend for watching tomorrow’s eclipse - but it’s a lovely reminder that people have long found ingenious ways to observe the Sun safely.

And, with solar glasses seemingly disappearing from everywhere at the moment, perhaps Caroline’s 1764 eclipse advice is worth revisiting… 👀💧

How will you be safely viewing the eclipse tomorrow – with solar glasses, or another method?

 

We have some last minute availability for our planetarium shows for ages 8+ at Bath Central Library this afternoon, with...
11/08/2026

We have some last minute availability for our planetarium shows for ages 8+ at Bath Central Library this afternoon, with sessions at 1.30pm and 2.30pm! £5 per person. Bookings are still open online here https://herschelmuseum.org.uk/whats-on/ and we are also happy to take bookings on the door at the library 🪐

Address

19 New King Street
Bath
BA12BL

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 5pm
Sunday 10am - 5pm

Telephone

+44 (0)1225 446 865

Website

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