Jane in the News

I absolutely loved my time at the Jane Austen Centre. The guides were amazing, so true to their characters. I loved learning more about Jane Austen’s family, it is interesting to see how she got her inspiration from her own life! The exhibits were interactive and interesting. I loved having a go writing with a quill. The shop of course was also amazing. One of the best places I have ever visited. This really satisfied the Jane Austen fan in me ☺️

My return trip to Bath was exciting! This time I was able to explore the Jane Austen energy that greeted me upon arrival. Walking the streets to this destination, I had to wonder, did I time travel or did the Georgian era women time travel, to help set the scene for Jane's life and stories. Upon entering this centre, I was pleased with the offerings. The entry ticket includes a very informative and well done guided introduction through Jane Austen's life followed by an amazing immersive self-guided tour. I loved how the staff was wonderfully dressed in character and nicely managed the flow of visitors very well. This place has a few surprises including a lovely tea room for a proper cuppa (if one chooses), a beautiful gift shop, and more immersion opportunities to integrate more into Jane's energy. Special thank you to King George III for his presence was truly felt on this UK trip and tied in beautifully with the time period of Jane's life. I look forward to tucking in with my special edition Emma book purchased here, continuing to work with Jane Austen's inspiring spirit, and writing my own unwritten story with Love. Cheers!

Really fun museum with lots of great information and artifacts from Jane Austen’s life and family, film adaptations, and cultural impact.

We had a wonderful time here! My kids (ages 10 and 15) don't know anything about Jane Austen, and were NOT excited to go, but our tour guide was a gem! She was so knowledgeable and made it a very engaging presentation, and the rest of the museum was lovely and interactive. My favorite thing we did in Bath!

This is a fun idea, but the execution is just okay. The staff was EXCELLENT though and it was fun to see them act. While there were some fun interactive bits, the museum overall felt a little dated and like it was not £20 worth of experience.

We recently visited the Jane Austen Centre in Bath and had a lovely experience overall. The staff were absolutely wonderful—warm, knowledgeable, and fully in character, which added a delightful touch to the visit. However, I did feel that the experience could have been more interactive. The centre consists of multiple rooms, starting with a waiting area, followed by a room where a costumed staff member gives a talk on Jane Austen’s history, and then another room showing a BBC documentary about her life. While I appreciated the opportunity to watch the film, it’s something I could easily view at home, and I had expected something more immersive—perhaps actors bringing Austen’s world to life in a more engaging way. The photo area was a nice addition, but I found the lighting created unflattering shadows, which made the pictures look a bit eerie. It would have been a wonderful touch if the centre offered printed souvenir photos in a themed frame, rather than just having visitors take their own. The decor throughout was beautiful, and I certainly came away feeling more informed about Austen’s life and legacy. The gift shop had some lovely items, though I felt many of the products could be found elsewhere. As a book collector, I was hoping the special edition books would feel more unique, but I’ve seen more impressive editions in standard bookshops. Overall, the Jane Austen Centre is a charming place with a great atmosphere, but I do wish there were more interactive elements to make the visit feel truly special. Still, it’s a delightful experience for Austen fans and history lovers alike. 4/5.

Great tour of the Jane Austen Centre. The staff were very good portraying the characters and I was very impressed with the lady from the beginning of the tour who was a character from Northanger Abbey and who gave a long presentation on Jane Austen. She spoke with a beautiful renaissance voice as do all the staff. It was a lovely visit and lots of great information on Jane Austen.

Enjoyed this museum. And found it interesting You get a introductionery talk then pictures and things to read. A short film then you can dress up if u wish. It is quite expensive. Staff helpful.

Brilliant experience at the Jane Austen Centre everything you need to know about Jane Austen there are Costumed characters, Waxwork of Jane,you can try your hand with authentic quill and ink.A fun things to do while there is get dressed up in Regency costumes and take your own photos and so much more to do.The staff are wonderful really friendly and willing to engage with you which really enhances the experience.Great gift shop.When you finish in the centre pop up stairs to the Regency Tea Room for tea and cake, lots of flavours of tea .You can have a full afternoon of tea.Staff in the tea room like in the centre are really nice and friendly . Definitely worth a visit

I visited the Jane Austen center 9/16/24. I purchased one of the last tickets of the day, “16:50-17:50” is what the booking email said even though the center closes at 17:30. I arrived around 17:00 and wasn’t sure where to go because no one at the door was checking tickets so I explored the different levels myself. Lower level was toilets, ground floor had a shop, first level had a closed door and second level had a cafe. Finally I asked the cashier what the ticket was for and she said I was meant to be a part of the last “group” and the tour had started. They sell tickets for every ten minutes so I didn’t know I had to be there at a certain time. The website states there’s an “introductory presentation,” so I guess they wait for a number of people to show up then usher them up to the first level. I missed that bit but was admitted to the exhibition in the back half of the ground floor which, while interesting, didn’t blow me away by any means. I think the experience would be fun for children, people particularly interested in the history of the era, or people visiting for tea/to shop but not necessarily see the exhibition. The shop also doesn’t feature special editions of any of her books so if you’re visiting as a part of a literary pilgrimage because the author’s body of work means a lot to you, you may end up disappointed.

I loved visiting the Centre on my recent trip to Bath! The staff was really knowledgeable about Jane and their 'performances' were unique and entertaining. It was great to learn about very niche details of her life and legacy. The gift shop is also worth a trip even if you don't go on a tour. I heard that over the summer, it gets very busy so book early if you're going when it's busy. I went in late January and it wasn't busy, so I think that helped make it an even more enjoyable experience. The exhibits, I imagine, get packed when they're at peak traffic.

Fun experience for Austen fans. Although informative and fun (the tour guides dress in period costumes and take on the role of one of the characters in Jane's work) there were few to no items that actually belonged to Jane. While she did live in Bath, this was not her home. Still a fun way to spend a couple of hours for Austen fans however and the gift shop had tons of cute items.

Had the best time spreading gossip and causing scandal at the Jane Austen centre with Harriet (a character from Emma). Such a fun experience, staff were amazing, super friendly and knowledgeable. A must visit for Austen fans.

This was a great way to end my time in Bath. The exhibit is small but very informative and made delightful by the presence of staff wearing period costume. The talk at the start of the tour was short but sweet. I took advantage of the voucher to have tea upstairs in the tea room... this was one of the best cream teas I ever had. Well worth a visit!

Lovely museum & tea room. Worth the visit even if you are not a Jane Austen enthuziast. Really nice gluten free cream tea.

Fabulous visit to Jane Austin experience in Bath. Mr Bennett the doorman! What a wonderful character & great singer…definitely played the part…marvellous. I even had a pull of his mutton chops!! Loved getting dressed up in costumes!! The ladies of the house were so knowledgeable & theatrical…. Great stuff…. Highly recommended & Thanks

We had planned to do the self guided Jane Austen walking tour but excessive rain meant we changed plans and visited the Jane Austen Centre instead. The staff were very engaging and knowledgeable and really made an effort to make sure we had a full experience. They were happy to take photos when it was time to dress up and even suggested posses and how to put on the clothes. We were there just over an hour as we read all the information boards. The rebooking system was straight forward and easy to use.

Bit expensive for what you get. Guide was very entertaining. Gift shop is small and it does get rather congested. Learnt a lot about Jane Austen that I did not know already.

Mr Knightly was the perfect host and very entertaining. Loved the exhibition, however, the child in each of our 50+ year old hearts loved the dressing up most of all, followed by writing a silly message will my quill and ink.