Fashion Museum and Assembly Rooms

Fashion Museum and Assembly Rooms Review

In its role as the Assembly Rooms, this neoclassical building was one of the leading centers for social life in 18th-century Bath, with a schedule of dress balls, concerts, and choral nights. Jane Austen came here often, and it is in the Ballroom that Catherine Morland has her first, disappointing encounter with Bath's beau monde in Northanger Abbey; the Octagon Room is the setting for an important encounter between Anne Elliot and Captain Wentworth in Persuasion. Built by John Wood the Younger in 1771, the building was badly damaged by wartime bombing in 1942 but was faithfully restored. Its stunning chandeliers are the 18th-century originals. Throughout the year, classical concerts are given here, just as they were in bygone days. The Assembly Rooms are also known today for the entertaining Fashion Museum, displaying apparel from Jacobean times up to the present (audio guide included). You might see displays of wedding dresses or punk fashions in changing exhibits.