Victoria Art Gallery
Bath’s public art gallery, with a free Upper Gallery of paintings from the 15th century onwards and ticketed exhibitions on the ground floor.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Victoria Art Gallery is the public art museum of Bath and is run by Bath & North East Somerset Council. The building on Bridge Street was designed in 1897 by John McKean Brydon and named to mark Queen Victoria’s sixty years on the throne; its exterior carries a statue of the queen by Andrea Carlo Lucchesi and friezes of classical figures by G. A. Lawson. The gallery was registered as a museum in 1990 and is now an accredited art museum.
The collection includes oil paintings, prints, watercolours, sculpture, ceramics and glass from the 15th century to the present day, with more than 1,500 decorative art objects. Its collecting priorities are paintings, drawings, prints and decorative art, especially works linked to the Bath area. British oil paintings include works by Thomas Gainsborough, the most famous artist to have worked in Bath, Thomas Jones Barker and Walter Sickert, and the collection also has a Tudor portrait of Henry VIII and works by Paul Klee and Peter Blake.
About 100 works are shown free of charge in the Upper Gallery, a Victorian first-floor gallery that reopened after a conservation project to repair the historic roof and ceiling. The ground-floor galleries host a changing programme of temporary exhibitions, and the gallery runs family activities, school programmes and a learning studio. Almost all of the collection can also be seen online through Art UK.
Highlights
- Free Upper Gallery with about 100 works from the permanent collection
- Paintings by Thomas Gainsborough and Walter Sickert
- Tudor portrait of Henry VIII after Holbein
- Ceramics, glass and an open-storage display of decorative art
- Art Explorers family area and learning studio
Permanent exhibition
- The Upper Gallery – About 100 works from the permanent collection, with paintings from the 15th century to the present, ceramics, glass and open storage for decorative art.
- Founded
- 1900
- Operated by
- Bath & North East Somerset Council
- Visitors per year
- approx. 92,000
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
| Visitors with disabilities | –companion free · A carer or companion can join a ticket holder free of charge. |
|---|---|
| Groups (20+ people) | £7 per personGroups of 20 or more must pre-book a combined ticket for the Upper Gallery and temporary exhibitions, at £7 per person; groups are limited to 20 people at a time. |
| Temporary exhibitions, adult (19+) | £9Until 19 November 2026; £12 from 20 November 2026. |
| Temporary exhibitions, senior (65+) or full-time student | £8.50Until 19 November 2026; £11.50 from 20 November 2026. |
| Temporary exhibitions, child (6-18) | £4Under-6s free. £5.50 from 20 November 2026. |
| Temporary exhibitions, family (2 adults and up to 4 children) | £20.50Until 19 November 2026; £27 from 20 November 2026. |
| Temporary exhibitions, family (1 adult and up to 4 children) | £14.50Until 19 November 2026; £18 from 20 November 2026. |
The permanent collection in the Upper Gallery is free for everyone; a free ticket can be booked in advance or visitors can turn up. Tickets are charged for the temporary exhibitions in the lower galleries. Art Fund members receive 50% off exhibition tickets, Friends of the Victoria Art Gallery enter free, and residents with a Discovery Card enter free. Full-time students at Bath Spa University, the University of Bath and Bath College enter free with a valid student card.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
Level access is through the ramped entrance on Bridge Street, where a push-button opens the doors, and a lift (one wheelchair at a time, door 80 cm wide) serves the Upper Gallery. A wheelchair can be borrowed during the visit. An accessible toilet with a baby-change station is on the first floor next to the lift. Access to the lower gallery may be limited during exhibition changeovers. A sensory bag with ear defenders and fidget toys is available, and a visual story can be downloaded. Relaxed Hours run on the first Saturday of each month. Large print handbooks of exhibition labels (at least 16 pt) are kept in the lower gallery, and free talks for visitors with visual impairments (Art on Mondays) run on selected Mondays. Blue Badge holders may park on the single yellow line in Bridge Street next to the accessible entrance.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Time needed | approx. 45 min |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
- Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
- Hands-on stations
- Stroller-friendly
- Baby changing facilities
- Playground / play area
Free drop-in creative activities run in school holidays, along with toddler storytime, Art Explorers and Mini Makers sessions. The Upper Gallery has colouring sheets, trails, stickers and an Art Explorers family area with baskets, dressing up and toys. Buggies are allowed in the whole building, and breastfeeding is welcome throughout.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Bath Spa station · 10-min walk
Rail: Bath Spa station is less than a 10-minute walk. Bus and coach: National Express serves the bus station, a 10-minute walk away. Bath is on National Cycle Network route 4.
By car
No on-site parking at the museum.
The gallery has no car park. Nearby are a small amount of metered on-street parking, The Podium and the Sports and Leisure Centre car parks (maximum stay 4 hours), and the Lansdown Park and Ride. Blue Badge bays are in several places in the city centre.
The gallery is on Bridge Street in the centre of Bath, close to Pulteney Bridge.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café: not available
- Restaurant: not available
- Museum shop
- Coat check: not available
- Lockers: not available
There is no café and food is not allowed in the building, but cafés and the Guildhall Market are nearby. There is no luggage storage. The shop sells books, cards, ceramics and items linked to exhibitions, and the Favourites guidebook to the collection. Only backpacks up to 30 litres are allowed inside.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
- Private parties
- Weddings / ceremonies
The Upper Gallery and the ground-floor galleries can be hired outside public opening times for drinks receptions and wedding ceremonies.
Inquiries & detailsPlan your visit
| Audio guide | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Photography | Photography without flash is allowed in the Upper Gallery; temporary exhibitions may have restrictions, so ask at the desk. |
| Good to know | A visit to the Upper Gallery or to an exhibition usually takes 45 minutes to an hour. The free Bloomberg Connects app offers audio, video and text content. Groups can arrange talks on temporary exhibitions and behind-the-scenes tours. Only trained assistance dogs are allowed. |
