Make a date for New Year's Day at the Roman Baths to start Bath's Year of the Museum
26th November 2010
What better way to start Bath’s exciting 'Year of the Museum' in 2011 than by celebrating New Year like the Romans did? On New Year’s Day, visitors to the Roman Baths will be served delicious hot dates as they step out on the Roman pavements beside the Great Bath, fed by the sacred spring. Hot, stuffed and peppered dates were a Roman delicacy popular at New Year festivities, so this is a tasty way to get one step closer to history. Janus, the two faced Roman god who looked both forward and backwards was honoured by Julius Caesar when he reformed the Roman Calendar in 45 BC and introduced the month of January.
The theme is appropriate to '2011 The Year of Museum in Bath', which looks back at the history of the city and forward to exciting new developments. This initiative by Bath Tourism Plus aims to promote the city’s museums and celebrate the heritage of the city. Bath’s extraordinary history is evident wherever you walk; it is one of few entire cities to be designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. A new 'World Heritage Audio Trail' is being produced as a free download from visitbath.co.uk for visitors to appreciate the city at their own pace.
It’s not just the streets of Bath that are steeped in history, Bath’s museums contain a fascinating array of objects. 1st January 2011 sees the launch of ‘Bath in 100 Objects’ selected to showcase the amazing collection of objects in the city. Ninety-nine objects have been nominated by the museums including 2000 year old relics from the Roman Baths like the perfectly preserved Minerva’s Head in bronze covered with gold leaf and the telescope that Herschel built for himself and used to discover Uranus at the Herschel Museum of Astronomy. The hundredth object will be chosen for by the people of Bath and announced at the end of the year.
For a city of its size Bath has more museums than most, with 17 museums within a square mile equating to one for every 5000 people living within Bath and North East Somerset. Throughout 2011 there will be special events and exhibitions and a lecture series as well as city wide events for World Heritage Day in April, Museums at Night in May and Heritage Open Week in the October half-term. Robin Bischert, Chief Executive of Bath Tourism plus said “the museums in Bath have created a programme of interesting events and activities throughout 2011 which will appeal to both local residents and the four million visitors from around the world that come to Bath each year".
With over £20 million investment over the past five years, museums in the city have a lot to shout about. In addition to the completion of a major redevelopment programme at the Roman Baths, the Holburne Museum of Art will re-open in May after a complete refurbishment and exciting new contemporary extension and the American Museum is celebrating its 50th anniversary with two very special exhibitions; FAB@50 and Marilyn Hollywood Icon. For news of what’s happening go to www.visitbath/museums.
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Notes to Editors:
For further information or images to illustrate this information, please contact Nicky Hancock at Hancock Communications: 01225 332299 / 07956 594113 or email nicky@hancockcomm.com or Lucy Weaver at Bath Tourism Plus on 01225 477441 or email: lucy_weaver@bathtourism.co.uk.
Bath Tourism Plus
Working with the public and private sectors, Bath’s destination marketing organisation, Bath Tourism Plus, takes full responsibility for co-ordinating the work of a busy tourist information centre, the marketing of Bath and the surrounding area to leisure and business travellers, PR activity to attract the nation’s top travel writers, a conference office, and development of Bath’s official destination website www.visitbath.co.uk. For more information about the services that Bath Tourism Plus offers to meetings, conference and incentive travel businesses, see www.bathconference.co.uk
Travel to Bath
Bath is easy to access from all over the UK and the world. High speed, direct train services operated by First Great Western link Bath Spa train station to London and its major airports. Bath Spa train station is well situated, just 5 minutes level walk into the city centre’s main shopping and tourist areas. See: www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk . Bath is easy to access by car, from junction 18 of the M4 motorway which links Bath to Bristol, London and South Wales. There are 3243 pubic car parking spaces in Bath with the main long stay car parks at Charlotte Street and Avon Street. There are three Park & Ride services on the outskirts of the city which operate fast, frequent services into the city centre, offering a hassle free, cost effective way of reaching the city centre. There is also a Park & Ride service that operates on Saturdays only from the University of Bath.
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