Holburne Museum of Art, Bath

Holburne Museum of Art, Bath (must see)

The Holburne Museum of Art is an important cultural landmark located in the Bathwick area of Bath. Situated in the picturesque Sydney Pleasure Gardens, at Sydney Place, the museum's building has a rich history. Originally designed as the Sydney Hotel by architect Charles Harcourt Masters, it was built in 1795. Over the nineteenth century, the building underwent various changes in both its purpose and structure. It was eventually transformed into the Holburne Museum between 1913 and 1916, under the guidance of architect Sir Reginald Blomfield. This historic building is recognized as a Grade I listed building by English Heritage, underscoring its architectural and historical significance.

The museum's collection is particularly renowned for its impressive array of over 250 British and continental oil paintings, predominantly from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The core of this collection was established by Sir Thomas William Holburne (1793–1874), a naval officer and Baronet who resided at 10 Cavendish Crescent in Bath with his three sisters. Holburne's personal collection, comprising 200 paintings, also includes a rich variety of seventeenth- and eighteenth-century silver and porcelain, Italian maiolica and bronzes, portrait miniatures, books, and furniture. This collection forms the heart of the museum's offerings.

Throughout the twentieth century, the picture collection was significantly enhanced through bequests, gifts, and acquisitions. These additions include eighteenth-century British portraits by artists such as Ramsay, Stubbs, and Gainsborough. One of the notable recent acquisitions of the Holburne Museum is a substantial part of the Somerset Maugham collection, which features eighteenth-century theatrical portraits, including five works by Zoffany.

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Holburne Museum of Art on Map

Sight Name: Holburne Museum of Art
Sight Location: Bath, England (See walking tours in Bath)
Sight Type: Museum/Gallery

Walking Tours in Bath, England

Create Your Own Walk in Bath

Create Your Own Walk in Bath

Creating your own self-guided walk in Bath is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Historical Homes Walking Tour

Historical Homes Walking Tour

Apart from its Roman thermae, the city of Bath is renowned for its prominent residents who used to live here a long time ago. Their former dwellings – historical monuments in their own right – now offer a captivating glimpse into the city's glorious past.

Among the most famous of them, undoubtedly, is the Jane Austen Centre. This charming Georgian townhouse provides a fascinating look...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.6 Km or 1 Miles
Georgian Architecture Walking Tour

Georgian Architecture Walking Tour

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Bath Introduction Walking Tour

Bath Introduction Walking Tour

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Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles
Jane Austen Walking Tour

Jane Austen Walking Tour

Jane Austen, 1775-1817, was a renowned British author. Her groundbreaking novels offer a witty and humorous look at Regency-era life. Austen's six novels have since inspired many popular TV adaptations and films.

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Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles