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We've compiled the best of the best in Bath and the Cotswolds - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
Not much of the Roman town remains visible, but this engaging museum displays an outstanding collection of Roman artifacts, including jewelry and coins, as well as mosaic pavements and full-scale reconstructions of local Roman interiors. Spacious modern, light-filled galleries that explore the town's history in Roman and Anglo-Saxon times and in the 18th century include plenty of hands-on exhibits for kids. A café and shop are on-site.
Located within the town hall, the Athelstan Museum contains a general history of the town of Malmesbury, as well as details on the Abbey and King Athelstan. The museum also has exhibits about the lace-making industry, the town's wool trade, and locally made clocks and bikes. Local-born philosopher Thomas Hobbes gets special attention, too.
The core of this industrial-history collection, which gives a novel perspective on the city, is an engineering works and fizzy drinks factory. This building once belonged to Bath entrepreneur Jonathan Bowler, who started his many businesses in 1872. The collection includes the original clanking machinery and offers glimpses into Bath's stone industry and cabinetmaking. Look out for the temporary exhibitions, which often showcase the lives and experiences of local people.
