Pensieri da Janeites

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.

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 ☺️

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.

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!

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

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!

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

文學迷比較容易有共鳴，一個小巧的博物館 — The Jane Austen Centre offers a snapshot of what it would be like to live in the Regency times - the fashion, food, society - everything that would have inspired Austen’s timeless novels. The Centre also explores how the city of Bath impacted upon Jane Austen’s life and writing in much-loved books such as Northanger Abbey and Persuasion. The Centre is set in a classically decorated Georgian townhouse, where your very own Austen experience will begin with a friendly welcome talk from a knowledgeable and helpful member of staff. After the introduction you’ll be free to wander around the intriguing exhibition at your own pace. Get into the Jane Austen spirit and feel as if you’re really in Pride and Prejudice by dressing

The experience was super fun and interesting, the guides were hilarious and so over the top in character. Loved the dress ups as well!

It was a cloudy cold rainy day when I visited the Centre on the afternoon of Jan 4th. Though small, the museum's atmosphere was cozy, warm and inviting. I found the entire staff to be very friendly, knowledgeable and very helpful. The entire museum can be covered leisurely in over an hour. The staff shared the address of one of Austen's former homes nearby, which helped me get a feel for Austen's life and world. Though my PhD dissertation was on Jane Austen's work, I was surprised to learn new facts about her life and family, which I later confirmed independently. The actors (and video clips) truly helped bring Austen's world to life for foreign visitors (like my in-laws) who were unfamiliar with British history and culture despite being a fan of Jane Austen's books. All in all, it was a very pleasant afternoon, that otherwise would have been dreary due to the weather. I do recommend booking tickets to ensure you are able to get in at a time that's convenient to you. And for those who love tea, make sure you make a separate reservation for tea upstairs. The food is delicious!

Enjoyed our time at the Centre. The staff were friendly and knowledgeable. Enjoyed an afternoon tea experience in the cafe which was great except for the bread being a little dry. Mr Darcy was expected but didn't arrive, turned out that he watching from the wall the whole time but really should not call it afternoon tea with Mr Darcy if he is not going to be there. Left me to deal with a very disappointed wife!