About
Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution (BRLSI), founded in 1824, is a place where science, literature and the arts come together to fire up imaginations and showcase amazing collections of treasures from around the world.
BRLSI is an independent charity that exists to promote a world of culture to Bath and its surrounding areas, and through the power of digital technology, the wider world. It is non-profitmaking and provides world-class lectures for as little as £4.00 a ticket.
Not only that, BRLSI provides a community hub to a host of smaller cultural societies who use its building to meet, delivers an amazing programme of family activities, and maintains a rich geographical and ethnological collection of world renown and importance.
In 2024 the Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution is celebrating its Bicentenary with 12 months of festivals, world-class talks, exhibitions, family fun and much, much, more!
For further news of our events and activities sign up to BRLSI’s Weekly What’s On: www.brlsi.org
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Facilities
Establishment Features
- Event Venue
Key Features
- In town/city centre
- No Smoking Attraction
Parking & Transport
- Parking (charge) - Charlotte Street Pay and Display Car Park Nearby.
Show Facilities
Opening Times
| Opening (1 Jan 2026 - 31 Dec 2026) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Day | Times | |
| Monday - Saturday | 10:00 | - 16:00* |
| Sunday | Closed* | |
Events
Monday, 16th February 2026 - Monday, 16th February 2026
How The Renaissance Came to Bath at Bath Royal Literary and Scientific InstitutionReady to take your journey of Discovery? Renaissance: Journeys of Discovery at BRLSI is a year-long programme of talks and events exploring the many joys, discoveries and something of the broader cultural legacy of a movement still making waves in the 21st century.- more info
Wednesday, 18th February 2026 - Wednesday, 18th February 2026
Serious Play: The Academies of Renaissance Italy at Bath Royal Literary and Scientific InstitutionThe Renaissance: Journeys of Discovery at BRLSI is a yearlong programme of talks and events exploring the many joys, discoveries and something of the broader cultural legacy of a movement still making waves in the 21st century.- more info
Thursday, 19th February 2026 - Thursday, 19th February 2026
Science in the Global Renaissance at the Bath Royal Literary and Scientific InstitutionOttoman Egypt anyone? Was modern science really a product of the European Renaissance? This talk takes in the global picture.- more info
Monday, 23rd February 2026 - Monday, 23rd February 2026
Fake News in 1655: Fantasies of British Military Conquests in the Americas at Bath Royal Literary and Scientific InstitutionThis talk explores how exaggerated and fictitious reports in 1655 about British military victories in the Caribbean reflected contemporary hopes and expectations about empire, long before accurate accounts of Oliver Cromwell’s expedition were known.- more info
Monday, 2nd March 2026 - Monday, 2nd March 2026
The Making of Cervantes' "Don Quijote" at Bath Royal Literary and Scientific InstitutionThis talk explores Cervantes's novel within the context of its difficult genesis, explaining the literary and other pressures its author faced as he sought the ingredients and invented the recipe for a narrative work that became instantly popular and has also stood the test of time.- more info
Monday, 9th March 2026 - Monday, 9th March 2026
Renaissance Maps: Myths & Memories at Bath Royal Literary and Scientific InstitutionChief Curator, Kate Hebert, tells the story of the creation of this outstanding collection and shares some of the star pieces- more info
Thursday, 12th March 2026 - Saturday, 28th March 2026
Curious Minds FestivalThe Curious Minds Festival features a selection of talks, music performances, film screenings, and much more taking place across two weeks.- more info
Monday, 16th March 2026 - Monday, 16th March 2026
Shakespeare, Bath & the plague at the Bath Royal Literary and Scientific InstitutionDid Shakespeare ever come to Bath? Duncan McGibbon investigates what the "Bath sonnets" tell us!- more info
Monday, 23rd March 2026 - Monday, 23rd March 2026
Jutland 1916: Archaeology of a naval battlefield at the Bath Royal Literary and Scientific InstitutionHow underwater discoveries offer new insights into naval battlegrounds- more info
Monday, 30th March 2026 - Monday, 30th March 2026
Johannes Kepler 1571 – 1630: His Life & Work at the Bath Royal Literary and Scientific InstitutionOne of the greatest of the Renaissance astronomers, best known for his laws of planetary motion Johannes Kepler is remembered, along with Copernicus, Tycho de Brahe and Galileo, as one of the greatest of the Renaissance astronomers.- more info
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