Date published: 2026-10-26 | Category: Heritage
Bath & North East Somerset Council has welcomed approval of £7 million of additional investment from the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority for Fashion Museum Bath and the wider Milsom Quarter, marking a major milestone in one of the city's most significant regeneration projects.
The funding will support the delivery of Fashion Museum Bath in its new home within the Grade II listed Old Post Office and help unlock the wider transformation of the Milsom Quarter, including the delivery of the Milsom Quarter Public Realm scheme. Together, they will create a vibrant destination for culture, creativity, business and community life, bringing new opportunities for residents, supporting local businesses and attracting investment into the heart of the city.
Granted planning permission and listed building consent earlier this year, the museum is expected to open in 2030. Built around an internationally important Designated collection of 100,000 objects spanning more than 400 years of fashion history, it will become the UK's leading museum dedicated to exploring the transformative power of fashion.
Once open, Fashion Museum Bath is projected to welcome more than 250,000 visitors each year and generate at least £111 million in economic and social value across the West of England. The project will also create opportunities for learning, skills and wellbeing, supporting pathways into creative, heritage and technical careers through placements, apprenticeships and work experience.
Fashion Museum Bath sits at the heart of the council and region's plans for the Milsom Quarter, which will deliver improved public spaces, greener streets, better walking and cycling connections and a welcoming new public square, helping to create a more vibrant and connected city centre. Subject to statutory approvals, the first phase of the Milsom Quarter Public Realm programme is continuing to progress through design development, helping to unlock wider regeneration benefits across the area.
The investment builds on previous support from the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, which had already invested £3.25 million towards the project's development and delivery. It complements significant investment from Bath & North East Somerset Council, alongside major grants from The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Clore Duffield Foundation.
Councillor Kevin Guy, Leader of Bath & North East Somerset Council, said:
"This investment marks another major milestone in securing the future of Fashion Museum Bath and delivering our vision for the Milsom Quarter.
"The museum will be much more than a world-class cultural attraction. It will be a catalyst for regeneration, bringing new opportunities for local people, supporting businesses, creating jobs and attracting visitors from across the UK and around the world.
"Fashion Museum Bath is a project of national significance, but its benefits will be felt here in Bath and across the wider West of England. Alongside the wider transformation of the Milsom Quarter, it will help create a more vibrant, connected and attractive city centre for residents, businesses and visitors alike."
Helen Godwin, Mayor of the West of England, said:
“Alongside other iconic attractions in our UNESCO World Heritage city, like the Roman Baths and Jane Austen Centre, Fashion Museum Bath will become a top destination for visitors from near and far. Our investment will create new learning and skills opportunities for local people, bring greater economic returns for businesses in the everyday economy, and open up more job opportunities in hospitality and retail.
"Securing the museum’s long-term future in the Milsom Quarter and unlocking its full potential is a powerful statement of our ambition for Bath and the wider West of England.”
Construction on the new museum is expected to begin in 2027, with Fashion Museum Bath reopening in its new home in 2030.
The Milsom Quarter Masterplan sets out the council's long-term vision for this part of the city, improving public spaces, creating greener streets and squares, supporting sustainable travel, and strengthening Bath's role as a thriving centre for culture, creativity and commerce.