Fashion Museum Bath

Name

Fashion Museum Bath

Legal name

Bath & North East Somerset Council

Website

https://fashionmuseum.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1963

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Heritage Museum (Fashion)

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121), Museums (712110), Museums (71211)

akta.pro primary industry

Art Museums (THAJADAA)

Keywords

• Fashion museum
• Historical fashion collection
• Cultural heritage
• Fashion exhibitions
• Museum education

Headquarters

HQ city

Bath

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Museum Admission Tickets: Single site tickets purchased online for museum admission, valid for one admission on the date purchased
2. Special Exhibition Tickets: Tickets for special exhibitions at the Victoria Art Gallery ground floor gallery
3. Commercial Venue Hire: Commercial venue hire opportunities outside of core public hours at the new museum
4. Donations: One-off or regular donations to the Fashion Museum Foundation, including Gift Aid eligibility
5. Retail Sales: Museum shop sales including guidebooks and merchandise
6. Package Offers: Package offers with partners such as Searcys for meals combined with tickets
7. Voucher Sales: Gift vouchers redeemed through the voucher portal

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Fashion Museum Bath is a museum of fashion caring for one of the world's leading collections spanning 400 years (c.1600 to present) with up to 100,000 objects covering haute couture to high street, accessories, and fashion photography. It runs the Dress of the Year scheme (established 1963; 591 pieces by 190 designers), delivers community engagement through the Fashion Unpacked outreach programme, develops the Explore the Collection digital platform with Bath Spa University, and lends collection objects to major global exhibitions.

Product overview

Fashion Museum Bath operates as a single-museum institution offering physical and digital access to its world-renowned fashion collection spanning 400 years (c.1600-present). The core products include the Fashion Museum Bath Collection and the Dress of the Year Collection (established 1963). Supporting programmes include Fashion Unpacked (community outreach), Explore the Collection (digital platform with 3D scanning), and Fashion Museum Objects on Tour (global lending). The institution is undergoing a major transformation, building a new museum at the Old Post Office scheduled to open in 2030, with accompanying Milsom Quarter public space improvements.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Dress of the Year Collection: A scheme established in 1963 where a respected fashion industry expert selects an outfit that encapsulates the prevailing mood of fashion each year. The collection now includes 591 pieces by 190 designers.

Products and services

• Fashion Museum Bath Collection
• Dress of the Year Collection
• Fashion Unpacked
• Explore the Collection
• Fashion Museum Objects on Tour
• Museum Admission and Special Exhibition Tickets
• Commercial Venue Hire

Quantifiable outcome

• 250,000 visitors per year expected at new museum
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bath Spa UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 May 2026Five-year partnership (2026-2030) to develop digital fashion platform 'Explore the Collection' transforming digital access to the museum's collection. Includes digitisation of at least 600 items in 3D, enriched catalogue records, multimedia content, and tools for learning and creative exploration. Supports skills development, academic research, and employment pathways in fashion and creative industries.
• 6a ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAward-winning architects redesigning the Old Post Office as the new Fashion Museum Bath. Studio established in 2001 with international reputation for sensitive transformation of historic buildings, including Tate Liverpool and new MK Gallery. Co-founded by Tom Emerson OBE and Stephanie Macdonald OBE.
• JA ProjectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExhibition designers collaborating with Fashion Museum team to develop inspiring new galleries. Recently completed work on new V&A East Museum & Galleries.
• Sarah Price LandscapesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLandscape designers creating the new courtyard garden at the heart of the museum, bringing nature and biodiversity into the museum design.
• Youth Connect South WestminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlternative Education programme partner for 3D scanning sessions with young people using Polycam photogrammetry app.
• V&A LondoncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHosting 'Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art' exhibition (28 March - 8 November 2026) featuring 6 items from Fashion Museum collection including evening coat and dresses by Elsa Schiaparelli.
• The Bowes MuseumminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHosting 'Vivienne Westwood: Rebel - Storyteller - Visionary' exhibition with 2 items from Fashion Museum collection.
• V&A DundeecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHosting 'Catwalk: The Art of the Fashion Show' exhibition (3 April 2026 - 17 January 2027) with items from collection including designs by Lucile, Alexander McQueen, Mary Quant, and House of Worth.
• Musée de la Mode et du Costume (France)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHosting 'Amazons! Horsewomen and fashion icons' exhibition (22 May - 20 September 2026) with riding habits and gloves from Fashion Museum collection.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Design Museum (London): London's contemporary design and fashion exhibition museum. Comparable as a UK design/fashion exhibition venue named as a touring partner of Fashion Museum Bath and a peer in exhibition programming.
• The Metropolitan Museum of Art (Costume Institute): The Met's Costume Institute is one of the world's foremost fashion collections and exhibition producers. Comparable as a major fashion-collection holder and a leading global fashion exhibition organiser that sets the standard for fashion museum programming.
• Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A): The UK's largest museum of art and design with the world's leading collection of fashion and textiles. Directly comparable as both a fashion collection holder and a lender/borrower with Fashion Museum Bath (V&A is hosting Schiaparelli items from Bath's collection in 2026).

Direct peers

• Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) Museum: New York fashion museum with a significant historic and contemporary fashion collection. Comparable as a dedicated fashion museum that lends internationally (FIT New York is named in Fashion Museum Bath's touring partner list) and is closely associated with fashion education.
• V&A Dundee: Scotland's design museum and a V&A satellite focused on fashion and design exhibitions. A direct comparable peer for Fashion Museum Bath given shared exhibition pipeline (e.g., 2026 'Catwalk' show featuring Bath collection items) and similar public-museum operating model.
• MoMu - Fashion Museum Antwerp: Belgium's dedicated fashion museum in Antwerp with a strong contemporary fashion collection. Comparable as a European fashion-specific museum of similar size and scope, focused on contemporary and historic fashion.
• Musée des Arts Décoratifs (Paris): Paris museum dedicated to decorative arts and fashion, with a major fashion and textile collection. Comparable in mission, scale and public-museum funding model, and a leading European counterpart for fashion heritage exhibitions.
• Musée de la Mode et du Costume (Château de Mouliers / Paris): French museum dedicated to fashion and costume. Comparable as a fashion-specific collection and active lender/borrower with Fashion Museum Bath (currently hosting 'Amazons!' exhibition with Bath items in 2026).

Emerging players

• Kyoto Costume Institute (KCI): Japanese fashion museum and archive with a globally significant collection of Western and Japanese fashion. Comparable as an internationally recognised fashion-specific collection holder focused on preservation, research and exhibitions.

Regional players

• The Bowes Museum: North East England museum hosting major fashion exhibitions (e.g., 2026 Vivienne Westwood show with Bath collection items). Comparable as a UK regional museum that borrows from Fashion Museum Bath's collection for fashion exhibitions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/FashionMuseumBath
• Xtwitter.com/FashionMuseumBa
• Instagraminstagram.com/fashionmuseumbath
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fashionmuseumbath

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Fashion Museum Bath