OPP Day 4: Roman Baths
Day 4 of Open Palace Programme was a bit of a long one as it was a 2 parter. For the first half of the day we participated in an exhibit planning activity at No. ! Royal Crescent with Bath Preservation Trust (read about it here!). After a quick lunch we were to head to the famous Roman Baths.
The Roman Baths primarily exist under the current street level of Bath’s city center. The baths are formed from natural host springs that flow beneath the city’s surface, creating warm, bubbly spa pools. It is an ancient Roman site, with the baths being used for their health benefits in some capacity through the late 1800s.
Today these pools are no longer open for public use, but it operates as a great museum and heritage center. It’s so interesting to learn about Bath’s roman history, and how the civilization there influenced the culture of the region. You can still see a lot of Roman influence in the art and architecture around Bath, especially in the Georgian preference of paying homage to Roman styles. The museum allows visitors to explore the now underground baths and learn more about the time period in which they were most actively used.
What impressed me the most about the Roman baths Museum was their use of narrative and technology. Visitors to the museum follow a loose path through the spaces. Along the way you meet several characters. These characters are sometimes live actors, and sometimes they are projected onto walls as video scenes or even as holograms in some spaces. It was incredible to learn more about the various characters of Bath (they were based on real people, too!), and see them reappear, revealing more information each time, as you traveled through the museum.
We were treated to a discussion with the head of the education department at the museum, and she was Abe to tell us more about developing the characters’ narratives as a teaching mechanism for the museum. She was also able to share with us how the museum plans for school visits, and how they design targeted grade level activities without having to invest a lot in changing their exhibit spaces. It was great to learn more about their educational program while there.
The baths are incredible. They are also quite polluted, so taking a splash is not allowed. However, several modern spa facilities that operate using the same hot springs, just purified for safety, are open within just a few blocks of the original Roman baths. I didn’t get to enjoy them this visit, but I am definitely planning a trip back.
Oh. I also should mention another incredible thing about the Roman Baths Museum. Its one of the top tourist destinations in the city and it tends to get quite crowded. It’s also difficult to manage with very young children as there are large crowds, narrow walkways, and some stairs. Strollers would not work here. But the museum took an extra step to be accommodating to families by providing soft structure carriers for infants and young toddlers, and toddler back carriers for older toddlers. Guests can check them out at the admissions desk free of charge. This allows the whole family to explore the baths without worrying about carrying a young child who might get tired of walking or anxious in large crowds. As a mother who has taken her own child through countless museums and heritage sites while traveling, I cannot express how impressed I am at this simple gesture. It not only makes traveling with children easier, but it tells visitors that families and young children are warmly welcome in the museum. Hopefully more museums will take note.