FAQs

Yes, all visitors will have to pre-book a ticket on our website. This includes Annual Pass holders and those who would normally have free access such as local residents. Visitors with additional access needs will need to contact us directly to book. We’re offering dedicated sessions on Wednesdays, 10-11.30am for those with mobility issues and sight impairments. These slots are limited and need to be booked via the Group Bookings team at least 48 hours in advance. Please email [email protected] or call 01225 477785.

We recommend you book your ticket at least 24 hours before your visit, but you can pre-book your ticket on the day if there are still slots available. You will need to join the queue at your allocated time slot. Visitors will not be allowed to enter the queue or building without a ticket and a booked time slot.

You will need to pick a fifteen-minute time slot for your arrival to the Roman Baths. We highly recommend you join the queue 15 minutes before your booked time slot.

To assist with the Government Test and Trace scheme for the COVID pandemic, please be aware names, date, time of attendance, and contact details of others who had also attended the same service in a particular time period may be given if they are requested from us by the test and trace service. Please see the information from PHE here and government guidance here.

For safety reasons while we are operating a physically distanced visit, we will be unable to admit anyone who is late for their slot. If there are later time slots available on the date of your visit, you can rebook your tickets by calling 01225 477785.

No, not at the moment. In accordance with government advice we will not be able to accept groups at this current time. We will be reviewing this on a regular basis and update you as soon as we can welcome groups safely again.

Please be aware that in line with current government guidelines, visitors will need to move around the museum site in family groups of six or less. If there are more than six people in your party, you will need to split into two groups.

There will be safe one-way routes with 2m markers around the site. Staff will be marshalling at key points around the museum and there will be screens on the reception desk. Please note: pushchairs are not permitted around the site. We recommend you bring your own baby carriers as will be unable to loan out our baby carriers when we reopen.

Face coverings are required in all indoor museum areas and the shop, unless you have a special exemption. You will not be required to wear a face covering in open outdoor areas such as the Great Bath and the Terrace.

Yes, all staff you encounter will be wearing either visors or other face coverings. The only exception is our Roman costumed interpreters, who will be at a safe distance!

We will be increasing our cleaning regimes in the toilets and throughout the site. While we will be thoroughly sanitising our Audioguide units between uses, we recommend that you bring your own headphones to use. Hand sanitiser will be available at key points around the site, particularly before stairways and walkways where there are handrails.

Yes. We will be operating a one in, one out system for household groups managed by our Visitor Experience Hosts. All our toilets will be unisex. We recommend you use the toilets before you start; as we're operating a one-way route, you will be unable to continue your visit if you leave the route on your way round. Toilets are available on entry and at exit only.

95% of the Roman Baths will be available to enjoy. There are a few areas that have restricted access where physical distancing is not possible. 

The Pump Room is now open serving a morning menu and afternoon tea. Please visit the Pump Room Restaurant page to find out more.

No, the spa water fountain in the museum will not be available. The Pump Room fountain is only accessible to customers of the Pump Room Restaurant.

The main Roman Baths shop will be open and will follow a one-way route with distance markers. The lower museum shop will not be open due to its limited capacity.

Visitors will be asked to show their ticket at the door on arrival and will then self-scan their ticket at the reception desk. You can bring your ticket with you on your mobile device or print it at home.  

Yes, you will need to pre-book your visit online. You will receive free entry to the Roman Baths as normal, but you will still need to have a booked time slot to visit. If you do not have a Discovery Card but you are a resident of Bath & North East Somerset Council, please bring proof of address and I.D with your pre-booked tickets.

Yes, you will need to pre-book your visit online. You will not have to pay for a new ticket but you will still have to book a reservation slot to visit. If you’re a current Annual pass holder, we’ll automatically be extending all passes by an additional five months.

We’re currently not able to issue Discovery Cards at our Heritage Site or at the Council One Stop Shops. We’ll automatically be extending all passes by an additional five months and will update the website as soon as we’re able to start reissuing the cards.

Wednesday mornings from 10.00am-11.30am are reserved for those visitors who need to use the lifts due to mobility issues. This will be the only date and time that wheelchair users can visit to comply with social distancing measures. These slots will need to be booked at least 48 hours in advance through our Group Bookings team on 01225 477785 or [email protected]. This includes tickets for carers or residents. Carers enter for free.

If you need to cancel your booking or change the date, please contact our Group Bookings Team on [email protected] or call 01225 477785.

Please call our Group Bookings team on 01225 477785.

We will only be allowing entry to the museum if you have pre-booked a ticket.

This varies according to the time of year. Please look at the opening hours page.

There is no parking at the Roman Baths but there are a number of car parks within easy walking distance. There are also several Park and Ride services on the outskirts of Bath which drop off in the city centre.

The nearest three hour parking spaces to the Roman Baths for disabled visitors are on Cheap Street, BA1 1NA. Details of other Blue Badge parking areas.

It is about five to ten minutes walk.

Lifts are available and 90% of the site is accessible to wheelchair users. Because the Roman Baths are six metres below street level, there are unfortunately a number of steps throughout the site. We have four lifts on site and handrails in many places, but to access the entire site, you will still need to climb some steps.

Disabled visitors pay the normal price for admission, the accompanying carer goes free. More details are available on our accessibility page. 

Unfortunately because of the quality of the water it would not be safe to swim here. The nearby Thermae Bath Spa uses the same water which is treated to make it safe for bathing. The Thermae Bath Spa is closed until further notice and the Spas Ancient & Modern package is currently unavailable.

Because there are steps in various places and a number of narrow walkways, we would encourage you not to bring a pushchair. Pushchairs have to be left in the main reception hall. We're unable to offer baby backpack carriers at the moment, please see our facilities page for more information.

Only backpacks up to a maximum of 30 litres are permitted to be brought into the Roman Baths. Luggage, including large rucksacks and pull along cases are not permitted on site but there are a number of storage facilities available across the city. The closest place to the Roman Baths for luggage storage is Bath Backpackers hostel.

We seek to reduce our carbon footprint in many different ways including using energy from the hot spring to heat our buildings and using energy-efficient lighting. You can read our full list of initiatives on our Sustainability page. 

Yes, free Wifi is available throughout the site. Please select the BANES-Public Wifi network.

Usually this would be as soon as possible after we open to the public. Generally between 11.00am and 3.00pm are the busiest times during the week, and at weekends we are busy for most of the day. 

We recommend allowing between 90 minutes - two hours for your visit.

A range of Roman bathing and leisure facilities along with part of the religious complex. Displays of Roman and Celtic objects found locally, building models, projected images of Roman characters and costumed Roman characters who like to chat to visitors.

The original eighteenth century room was used as a meeting place and for Assemblies. Today it is a fine dining restaurant.

Free use of an audioguide in one of twelve languages or hand held BSL video guide. Guided tours starting from the Great Bath from 10.00am and spa water tasting are not available at present.

Members of the media wishing to cover the Roman Baths, Fashion Museum or Victoria Art Gallery can obtain free entry if arranged with the Marketing department 48 hours before their visit. (One ticket per visit.) Please see the News page for our latest press releases.

You are welcome to use a hand-held device to take pictures all around the site for your own personal enjoyment. If you are a commercial photographer please contact us for further details. Wedding and civil partnership photography is not allowed unless the couple either have their ceremony or reception at the Roman Baths. For information please contact us.

No re-entry is allowed as it is a one-way route around the complex and our high visitor numbers would make it impractical. 

The water in the Great Bath is completely untreated and unsafe to drink or touch. 

No food or drink is permitted in the Roman Baths.

The only animals allowed on site are assistance dogs.

The Roman Baths site is owned by Bath & North East Somerset Council. National Trust and English Heritage members are not entitled to free entry.

The fiery torches surrounding the Great Bath are lit at around 4.00pm in the winter and 6.00pm in the summer. 

If you think that you have lost an item of your property while visiting us, please contact our Lost Property Office. Please include the following details:

• detailed description of the item you have lost
• the name of the organisation you were travelling with, if any.
• your name, and an e-mail and telephone number where we can contact you.
• an address to which we can post the item.

We will ask you questions about the item of property to make sure that you are the rightful owner. If postal charges are significant, we will ask you to contribute to them. It is our policy to keep lost property for six weeks and to offer unclaimed items to charity. Please note though that during very busy periods it may not always be possible to keep lost items for this length of time.