Display of shoes at the Fashion Museum, Bath Overview

The Fashion Museum was founded by Doris Langley Moore, a collector, costume designer and author who gave her collection to the city of Bath in 1963. The Museum is housed in Bath’s 18th-century Assembly Rooms, and is home to a world-class collection of contemporary and historical dress.

Permanent collections

The 30,000 items in the museum date from the late 16th century to the present, including menswear and womenswear, dress for day and evening, alternative and contemporary fashion. Highlights include a sizeable group of embroidered waistcoats from 1742 and a collection of work by 20th-century British fashion designers, including pieces by Norman Hartnell.

The museum hosts a ‘Dress of the Year’ collection, including one dress selected every year since 1963 by an independent fashion expert. There is also a large and varied photograph collection, including the Sunday Times Fashion Archive and 19th century cartes de visite.

Art Funded works

As well as a collection of nearly 400 items of clothing, accessories and textiles owned by Lady Ottoline Morrell, the Fashion Museum owns a pair of evening dresses by Madeleine Vionnet which exemplify her innovative construction techniques and influential style.

Visitor information

The Assembly Rooms Café is open from 11am until 4pm, serving hot and cold beverages, sandwiches and baguettes, and a selection of cakes and pastries. The Museum is fully accessible to wheelchair users, with level access on the ground floor and a lift for moving between floors.