• Swindon & Wiltshire Culture
• Tuesday January 14 2025
• Author Name: Peter Davison

Sun shines on Bath as National Trust announces £17 million rejuvenation plan for Assembly Rooms

The National Trust has announced a £17 million rejuvenation plan for the Bath Assembly Rooms as part of the charity’s 130th anniversary celebrations.

The Trust said the investment at the circa 1771 building would “ensure the preservation of irreplaceable historic buildings for future generations.”

A new visitor experience will include the installation of projectors and lighting to create the vibe of a Georgian ball – of the kind author Jane Austen might have attended.

Work is due to be complete by 2027.

The announcement was heralded on Saturday (November 11) with the unveiling of Helios, a brand-new artwork by artist Luke Jerram.

The Bristol-based artist is well known for his scale installations of the Earth, the Moon, and Mars.

Using NASA imagery and scaled so that each centimetre represents 2,000 kilometres of the real sun’s surface, the seven-metre model of the Sun will allow visitors to examine the star with details such as sunspots and solar flares.

Helios will be suspended from the ceiling of the Ball Room until February half term before touring other National Trust properties nationwide.

Pictured: Artist Luke Jerram with Helios in Bath Assembly Rooms © National Trust Images, James Dobson