There’s good news and – maybe – not-so-good news coming out of Bath Abbey this week.
On the plus side, Tuesday, March 7th sees the official opening of its Discovery Centre – the final phase of the multi-million-pound Footprint Project. It’s a newly-created accessible space designed to bring the Abbey’s long history to life.
Objects from the Abbey’s archives will be on display in this custom-built area constructed within the ancient vaults beneath the church.
On the minus side, the loss of revenue during the Pandemic and rising costs have forced Bath’s parish church to start charging for admission – though local residents and those visiting to pray, worship and attend services will not need to pay the admission fee.
I had a sneak preview today – during a ‘soft-opening’ – and a chance to chat to Frank Mowatt, Executive Director at Bath Abbey.
On top of the new Discovery Centre – admission to which is included in the admission charge – the Abbey will be introducing free 30 minute guided tours for visitors throughout the day.
These tours are distinct from the popular Tower Tours, which are paid guided tours to the top of the Bath Abbey tower. Additionally, bespoke guided tours for school pupils can be booked (ideal for Key Stage 1-4 classes) and will be offered by our Learning and Visiting teams.
Before l came away, l caught up with Dr Ollie Taylor – who is the Abbey’s Interpretation Officer and has had the long and detailed job of getting the new Discovery Centre attraction together and ready for launching.
There’s more information on the Bath Abbey website via https://www.bathabbey.org/discovery-centre/
Bath Abbey welcomes comments and queries from the public at the following email address: discoverycentre@bathabbey.org
