Think you’ve seen and done everything in Bath? Take another look, as our unique city still has a few surprises in store for you. One fantastic example is glassblowing at Bath’s very own theatre of glass, nestled into the city’s Artisan Quarter. 

Bath Aqua Theatre of Glass is a studio, shop, exhibition space and classroom all in one. It opened in 1999 and is run by Annette and Adrian Dolan, and stained-glass artist Themis Mikellides. 

As well as being a great place to pick up a gift, you can also enjoy interactive demonstrations and join in glass-blowing workshops at this Bath gem. You can ask the glassmakers questions about their craft and admire works inspired by the Roman and Georgian heritage of the city. 

Glass-blowing workshops and courses at Bath Aqua Glass

You can take your pick of workshops at the Bath Aqua Glass studio, and it doesn’t remotely matter whether you’ve ever tried glass-blowing before. In fact, most courses and sessions are designed for complete beginners. Among the most popular activities include:

• Make your own bauble. This one is understandably very popular in the run-up to Christmas, and it’s a great activity to do with friends and family (ages 5+). Choose your colours and either make the bauble yourself, or watch an expert glassmaker bring your design to life.  You could even book a session as an early Christmas present for a loved one. It’s a lovely feeling to know that you’ve made some of your Christmas decorations yourself. 

• Stained-glass course. This is a one-to-one course for ages 16+, where you’ll learn the art of making colourful and intricate stained-glass designs. 

• Make a mosaic heart. This is a brilliant session for hen and birthday parties, as it’s just 90 minutes hours long and comes with fizz and cake included. And you’ll get your own adorable glass heart to take home with you.  

You can also buy gift vouchers for you or a recipient to put towards future courses. This may be a good option if you’d love to try glassblowing, but some courses aren’t yet back up and running due to COVID-19. 

Exhibitions

Even if you don’t fancy taking part in a workshop, it’s still worth popping to Bath Aqua Glass to see the beautiful, unusual and historic pieces of glasswork they have on display. Some have featured on the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow, while others are sourced from locations around the world. 

There’s even a stained-glass window by Victorian architect William Burges on display. This was discovered deep in the vaults at Bath Abbey, and is believed to be worth tens of thousands of pounds. It’s free to visit Bath Aqua Glass, but you’ll need to check on any coronavirus restrictions before you visit. 

Where is Bath Aqua Glass?

You’ll find this unusual space on Walcot Street, next to the popular Bell Inn and not far from the Museum of Bath. If you want to stay nearby, you’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to accommodation – including No.14, Old Orchard and Ainslie’s Belvedere.