Heritage Open Days
Event
Heritage Open Days
Saturday 7 September, 2024 – Sunday 8 September, 202411:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Unearth the history and culture at Bath Spa University's Newton Park
This September, Bath Spa University is throwing open the doors to our Newton Park campus on Heritage Open Days.
This is a fantastic opportunity to explore our rich history and vibrant culture through a variety of engaging activities and displays in our beautiful landscape.
Explore Main House
The Main House offers a unique experience with access to historic ground floor rooms and an impressive display of theatre production materials, including costumes and multimedia presentations.
Young people can join our Story Detectives writing workshop on the 7th, and everyone can take a self-guided audio tour to learn about the history of the Main House.
Visit the Library
The University Library is located at the heart of Newton Park campus and holds our collections of books, journals, DVDs, magazines, as well as our Special Collections. These supplement our vast array of online resources to support the students and staff at Bath Spa University.
For Heritage Open Days our Library will be displaying items from our Special Collections including; a King James Bible, John Ogilby’s Britannia, as well as more contemporary items from our Artists’ Book collection. Enjoy interactive activities like Lego and puzzles and learn how to use our resources for free (reference only).
We'll also display some signed first-edition copies of books written by our staff and alumni on display. You may see some familiar names that you didn’t realise have a connection to our University.
Did you know that you can use this library? Ask our library staff about using the reference materials free of charge, and how, for a small fee, you can borrow books from our collection.
Our friendly library team will be on-site to answer your questions about the University Library, its collections and services and how you might build a career in Libraries.
Participate in a community readathon, and explore historical materials from our archives.
Have fun in the Walled Garden
Our Walled Garden is packed with fun activities.
Unwind with big games like Jenga and Connect 4.
Relax on bean bags and picnic tables, and get gardening tips from our expert gardeners.
View historical photos in the Glasshouse, and let children enjoy another i-Spy activity.
Dig through our archive
Visit our ‘Castle’ for an archive handling session (not wheelchair accessible). Get closer to the history of the Newton Park site, where people have been living and working since at least 1066.
You can also learn about the history and students of the three fascinating institutions that merged to become Bath Spa University
For any questions on our archival collection, staff from our archive team will be on hand to guide you.
Campus tours and other information
Throughout the campus, discover key points of interest with interpretation blackboards at the Lake, Temple, Castle, Grand Entrance, Italian Gardens, and Glass House. There's also an interactive treasure hunt.
Join one of our guided campus tours, (or wander at will) starting from the Main House lawn and ending at the Commons TV Studio, where you'll find a display of photos and memories from alumni, staff, and community members.
We look forward to welcoming you to Bath Spa University Heritage Days, where you'll have the chance to delve into our heritage and culture. See you there!