Bath’s Old Post Office to become UK’s leading fashion museum

beehiveweb.co.uk editorial team 2026-08-04 15:27 3 min read

A museum archivist in purple gloves examines a vibrant pink and yellow vintage garment.

A £7.2 million grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund has been awarded to Bath and North East Somerset Council to transform the historic Old Post Office into the new home of Fashion Museum Bath.

Announced by the council on 4 August 2026, the award moves the project into its delivery phase following the granting of planning permission. The prominent Grade II listed building in central Bath will be redesigned by award-winning architects 6a, bringing the museum and its nationally important collection to the Milsom Quarter.

Transforming the Old Post Office

The redevelopment is intended to conserve the building while adapting it as an accessible social and cultural hub. Alongside expanded galleries, the museum is expected to provide skills, digital and wellbeing programmes.

Sustainability is a significant part of the design. The project is aiming to make the museum one of the first in the UK to achieve the EnerPHit standard, an international benchmark for improving the energy efficiency of existing buildings through retrofit. That means the work must address the practical requirements of a modern museum while respecting the historic fabric of a listed property.

Construction is scheduled to begin in late 2027, with the museum expected to reopen to the public in 2030. These remain future project milestones, so visitors will not gain immediate access to the new building following the funding announcement.

What this means locally

The museum is planned as an anchor institution for the Milsom Quarter, with the council expecting it to increase footfall, strengthen Bath’s visitor economy and support nearby businesses and the regional creative sector. Its city-centre location will also return a prominent historic building to active public use.

Residents are expected to benefit through a pre-opening programme focused on training, work experience and routes into creative employment. Partnerships with Bath Spa University and the London School of Architecture will support opportunities in areas including design, marketing and entrepreneurship.

Community talks, consultations and outreach will continue during development. The Heritage Fund says this engagement will include underserved and disadvantaged communities, with the aim of sharing the project’s cultural and economic benefits more widely.

Wider access to the Fashion Museum collection

Fashion Museum Bath holds a collection designated by Arts Council England as being of outstanding national importance. It spans the late sixteenth century to the present day and includes garments, accessories, fashion illustrations, photography and business archives.

Among its best-known objects is the Silver Tissue Dress, a rare surviving matching bodice and skirt from the 1660s. The collection also contains work by Mary Quant, Alexander McQueen, Phoebe English and Bianca Saunders, covering fashion from the high street to haute couture.

The new museum will display more of this material than was previously possible. A planned online catalogue will also widen access beyond Bath, allowing researchers, students and fashion enthusiasts around the world to explore the collection digitally.

The next confirmed milestones

With planning permission and Heritage Fund support secured, attention now turns to detailed delivery, continued community involvement and preparations for construction in late 2027. The principal public milestone is the museum’s planned reopening in 2030, when the Old Post Office is expected to begin operating as its permanent new home.

Source: Bath and North East Somerset Council Newsroom

Context & actions About this article

Source check Fact-checked against council records

This report is based on the official announcement from the Bath and North East Somerset Council regarding the National Lottery Heritage Fund grant.

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