Rainy Day in Bath: Museums, Spa and Cafés
Eleven plans for a rainy day in Bath, from the Roman Baths and the Holburne to the Cross Bath and a board game café, with prices, opening times, what is free and what suits children, checked on the venues' own sites.
In short: on a rainy day in Bath, start at The Roman Baths (allow 90 minutes to 2 hours, from £26.50 booked online), then dry off at The Holburne Museum, free for 18 and under, or the free collection at the Victoria Art Gallery. Thirsty Meeples sells three hours of board games for £10. The open-air Cross Bath runs public sessions on Tuesdays only, booked by phone.
Our plan for a rainy day in Bath: eight museums, a thermal bath and two places to sit it out. All but the Holburne (over the river in Bathwick) are in the City Centre. Prices and times were checked on each venue's own website on 21 October 2026. Parks and walks are left out on purpose.
What can you do in Bath on a rainy day?
Go to a museum, take a thermal bath or settle into a café. Here is how they compare.
| Venue | Open | Adult | Under 18s |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Roman Baths | Daily 9am to 6pm (to 31 Oct) | £26.50 weekdays, £29 weekends | £19.50 to £22 (6 to 18), under 6s free |
| Bath Abbey | Mon to Sat from 10am, Sun 1pm to 3.30pm | £9 | £5 (5 to 15) |
| The Holburne Museum | Mon to Sat 10am to 5pm, Sun 11am to 5pm | £16.50 | Free |
| Victoria Art Gallery | Tue to Sun 10.30am to 5pm | Collection free, exhibitions £9 | £4 (6 to 18) |
| Herschel Museum of Astronomy | Tue to Sun 10am to 5pm | £12.50 | Free |
| The Jane Austen Centre | Daily 10am to 5.30pm (to 2 Nov) | £18 | £9.95 |
| House of Frankenstein | Daily from 10.30am or 11am | From £10.94 | May not suit under 12s |
| Museum of Bath at Work | Daily to 31 Oct, then weekends | £10 | £5 |
| The Cross Bath | Tuesdays only | £40 | 12 and over only |
| Thirsty Meeples | Daily from 11am (10am weekends) | £10, or £8 with food | £7 with food (12 and under) |
| Sally Lunn's | Daily 10am to 9pm | High tea £22 | Not stated |
Which Bath museums are best when it rains?
The Roman Baths for a first visit, the Holburne for art, the Herschel for a small house with a big story.
The Roman Baths
The visit most people come to Bath for. Allow 90 minutes to 2 hours; the audio guide is included, with a children's version narrated by Michael Rosen.
- ⏰ Daily 9am to 6pm, last entry 5pm (to 31 Oct)
- 💷 £26.50 weekdays, £29 weekends online
- 👪 £19.50 to £22 (6 to 18), under 6s free
- 📍 City Centre
Good to know: entry is by timed slot and £2 more on the day, so book a day ahead. Hours from 1 November were not yet posted.
Bath Abbey
Entry includes a 30-minute highlights tour of the Abbey floor and the Discovery Centre museum. The tower tour is better saved for a dry spell.
- ⏰ Mon to Fri 10am to 5.30pm, Sat to 6pm, Sun 1pm to 3.30pm
- 💷 £9, children £5 (5 to 15)
- 🆓 Free for BA1 and BA2 residents
Good to know: it closes for services, so check the visiting page first.
The Holburne Museum
One ticket covers the collection and both autumn exhibitions: Eric Ravilious and the Artists of the Chalk Downs, and Richard Slee, both to 10 January 2027. The ground floor and gardens are free to explore.
- ⏰ Mon to Sat 10am to 5pm, Sun 11am to 5pm
- 💷 £16.50, 18 and under free
- 🆓 Collection free on Wednesdays after 3pm
- 📍 Bathwick
Victoria Art Gallery
The permanent collection is free for everyone. Japanese Prints runs to 22 November, and The World of The Snowman opens on 20 November with a family activity area.
- ⏰ Tue to Sun 10.30am to 5pm, closed Mondays
- 💷 Exhibitions £9, £12 from 20 Nov
- 👪 £4, £5.50 from 20 Nov, under 6s free
Good to know: there is no café, and no food or hot drinks are allowed inside.
Herschel Museum of Astronomy
The townhouse where William Herschel discovered Uranus in 1781. Children get a free trail and the Star Vault, with space Lego and crafts.
- ⏰ Tue to Sun 10am to 5pm, last entry 4pm
- 💷 £12.50, under 18s free
- 🎟️ Ticket works for 12 months
- 📍 19 New King Street
The Jane Austen Centre
An exhibition with costumed characters and Regency dress-up, plus the Regency Tea Room, where Mr Darcy's Afternoon Tea is £31.50.
- ⏰ Daily 10am to 5.30pm to 2 Nov
- 💷 £18, children £9.95
- 📍 40 Gay Street
Good to know: from 3 November it closes at 4.30pm except Saturdays, and last entry is an hour before closing.
Mary Shelley's House of Frankenstein
A self-guided hour of eerie sound and visual effects, with escape rooms from £26.57.
- ⏰ Mon to Fri 11am to 4pm, Sat 10.30am to 5.30pm, Sun 11am to 5.30pm
- 💷 From £10.94, cards only
- 👪 May not suit under 12s
- 📍 37 Gay Street
Good to know: no buggies, prams or wheelchairs.
Museum of Bath at Work
Rebuilt workplaces, from an ironmonger's and a soft drinks factory to a Bath stone mine. The audio guide and the 11am guided tour are free.
- ⏰ 10.30am to 5pm, daily to 31 Oct, weekends in Nov, closed Dec and Jan
- 💷 £10, children £5, family £20
- 📍 Julian Road
Can you go to a spa in Bath when it rains?
Yes, and rain on warm spring water is half the point.
The Cross Bath
A small open-air thermal bath in its own building, run by Thermae Bath Spa. Towels and robes are included.
- 📅 Tuesdays: 10am, 12pm, 2pm, 4pm, 6pm
- 💷 £40 for 90 minutes, £10 off for local residents
- 👪 No under 12s
- 📞 Book on 01225 33 1234
Good to know: on other days, the main Thermae Bath Spa building runs two-hour sessions from £44 on weekdays for over-16s. More in our spa hotels guide.
Where can you sit out the rain with tea or a game?
Thirsty Meeples for a long afternoon, Sally Lunn's for a bun with history.
Thirsty Meeples
A board game café with table service, coffee, sandwiches, craft beer and cocktails.
- ⏰ Mon to Fri 11am to late, weekends from 10am
- 💷 £10 for 3 hours, or £8 with a food or drink order
- 👪 £7 for 12 and under with food
- 📍 39 Gay Street
Good to know: it fills up fast, so book a table.
Sally Lunn's Historic Eating House & Museum
Home of the Sally Lunn Bath Bun, with a kitchen museum showing the bakery used in the 1680s.
- ⏰ Daily 10am to 9pm
- 🍽️ Jane Austen High Tea £22, 3.30pm
- 📍 4 North Parade Passage
Good to know: no daytime bookings except the 3.30pm high tea, so lunch is walk-in only.
What is free to do in Bath on a rainy day?
The Victoria Art Gallery's collection, always. Under 18s are free at the Holburne and the Herschel, and Discovery Card holders at the Roman Baths and the Victoria Art Gallery.
Where to go on a rainy day in Bath with kids
The Herschel's Star Vault and the Holburne's free Space to Make suit younger children. Over half term, the Holburne has a free family drop-in on 27 October and the Victoria Art Gallery runs Mini Makers from 28 to 30 October. The House of Frankenstein may not suit under 12s.
FAQ
What is there to do in Bath when it rains?
Visit the Roman Baths, the Holburne Museum or the Herschel Museum of Astronomy, then sit out the worst of it at Thirsty Meeples or Sally Lunn's. All are in or near the city centre.
Do I need to book the Roman Baths?
The Roman Baths recommends booking at least 24 hours ahead for a timed slot. Online tickets are £2 cheaper than on the day.
Which Bath museums are closed on Mondays?
The Victoria Art Gallery and the Herschel Museum of Astronomy, except on bank holidays (and, for the Herschel, local school holidays). The Roman Baths, the Holburne and the Jane Austen Centre open on Mondays.
Can children go in the Cross Bath?
Not under 12. Young people aged 12 to 15 can bathe with one adult each, and proof of age is needed.