The Discovery Museum is Bath Abbey's interactive heritage centre. An entertaining experience designed to bring the Abbey’s history to life, this space was opened as the final phase of our Footprint Project in March 2023.
Objects from the Abbey’s archives are on display in this custom-built area constructed within the ancient vaults beneath the Abbey building. Fascinating videos, replica period costumes and exciting interactive exhibits will immerse visitors in the history of this extraordinary building and explore the stories of people connected to the Abbey.
Alongside an extensive timeline of the Abbey’s history, historical artefacts, some of which have never been seen by the public, are on display. These include: Anglo-Saxon crosses; Medieval carved stone fragments; historic silver; and the Benefactors’ Book, a record of money and materials given to the Abbey for its reconstruction after the Reformation.
There are plenty of activities and content for families visiting, including:
- Dressing up
- Interactive exhibits and games
- Animated timelines of the building's history and why Bath became an important city
- family-friendly illustrations and stories
Please note: The Discovery Museum is closed when the Abbey is closed for visiting. Changes to opening hours can be found here.
Discovery Museum Exhibition
Lantern of the West: The Stained Glass Windows of Bath Abbey
From 20th October 2025 | Discovery Museum, included with admission
Bath Abbey is renowned for its magnificent windows that cover around 80% of the Abbey’s wall space – so much so, it has been nicknamed the ‘Lantern of the West’. The ratio of glass to wall is the highest of any church in Europe and over half of the windows feature stained glass.
In celebration of Bath Abbey’s ambition to create a new stained glass window honouring Bath-born Saint Alphege, this display will reveal the history of the Abbey’s windows from the 1500s to the current design by internationally acclaimed stained glass artist, Neil Ireson.
If the fundraising is successful, the new Saint Alphege window will be installed in 2026. To find out more and donate to the Saint Alphege Window Appeal, visit us online at: bathabbey.org/alphege-appeal
The display will include archaeological glass finds alongside fragments from the windows blown out during the 1942 air-raids and examples of the distinctive modern glass that Neil Ireson intends to use in the new window. Learn how to identify the differences between the main window designers featured in Bath Abbey.
Footprint Project
Read the latest update (June 2023) about the Footprint Project here.
The Footprint Project is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The Footprint project at Bath Abbey is about moving from past to future. Thanks to this pioneering multi-million-pound initiative, our historic floor has been saved from collapse and the building has been opened up in new ways – to be enjoyed in its full glory by future generations.
We are also far more energy-efficient with new LED lighting system and underfloor heating that is powered by renewable energy from Bath's famous hot springs.
After so much of the Project being hidden behind the scenes, we have now completed our new Song School, meeting rooms and office space in Kingston Buildings, as well as a brand new Learning space which will transform what we are able to offer not just to our own Abbey congregation, but to the city we serve and its visitors. Our Abbey Shop has also had a complete transformation.
The aims of the Footprint Project are to conserve, innovate and inspire:
Conserve
- The Abbey’s collapsing floor was restored, a precious part of the city’s Georgian heritage
- Preserving community spirit by opening up more opportunities for volunteering, groups and partnerships
Innovate
- Harnessing Bath’s hot spring waters to power eco-friendly underfloor heating
- Re-imagining spaces to create a comfortable, flexible place for all, from special services to family fun days and civic ceremonies to concerts. Keep an eye on our What's On page to never miss an event in the Abbey.
Inspire
- Telling the story of the Abbey’s fascinating history through the brand new Discovery Centre
- An inspiring new Learning Room for students and activity days
- A brand new Song School which is home to the Abbey’s choirs
Our floor is saving the world by making use of Bath's hot water springs. Discover how in this video:
Discover more about the Footprint Project:
