Jane Austen Centre, Bath

I was surprised by some of the reviews of the Jane Austen Centre. I found it to be a fascinating little place run by people who genuinely do care, and very atmospheric and interesting. The talk was given with humour and panache and the filmshow was very interesting. There were lots of interesting little facts and displays and I found the on-site tea-room lovely - and the service was warm and very friendly.

It isn’t a huge exhibition but then considering it’s based in a standard Bath townhouse, I’m surprised that some of the people reviewing here expected any more - how could you expect it to be larger when you saw the building before you went in?!

Recommended to any Austen fan.

The Jane Austen Museum is pretty cool, although my favourite part was the 'Partial History of England’ I bought for about 70p at the gift section. Just be thankful you’re not a dead famous author of great literature: you too would be having your dim shade embarrassed by thousands of people being privy to your pre-teen wibblings, however humorous. The film about Austen’s life in Bath seems to run continuously: a fact we only twigged to after we’d been sitting there for what seemed like two hours. Oops! The section of artefacts from Bath life of the period was standard stuff, really, okay if you’re mad keen on museums in general. Altogether worth a visit, though.

I had high expectations of the Jane Austen Centre as I am a big Austen fan but alas it wasn’t very interesting at all. The costumed speakers made a great effort and were engaging and interesting but the exhibition itself just fell a bit flat and wasn’t nearly big enough so that my companion and I both left feeling disappointed and with a sense that we had wasted our money. I don’t think it took us more than half an hour to see everything, which is a shame.

In contrast to other reviewers i found this an interesting place to visit. Anyone with a strong interest in Jane Austens works should find something of interest here. A pleasant way to while away some time. Do check out the tea room too - very tasty! Recommended.

Despite passing a pleasant afternoon at the Jane Austen centre, I cannot allow it any more than two miserable Qype stars.

If you know anything at all about Jane Austen, there will be little to learn from the talk and 'exhibition’ and you will waste £6 or thereabouts. While the talk we were treated to was pleasant and vaguely interesting this is not groundbreaking research and frankly you could pick up more by reading a few chapters of any decent Austen biography. The exhibition consists of some costumes from a recent (or forthcoming - couldn’t quite work it out) Austen TV adaptation and frankly is really disappointing.

What is much more fun is the upstairs tea room. Despite the slightly curt service (is this obligatory in English tea rooms?) we passed a very pleasant tea time here, sipping, among other things, Regency and Gyspy Caravan tea and nibbling on delicious scones. We were too full up to try any of the gloriously titled cakes - next time I won’t be able to resist Mrs Bennet’s Lemon Drizzle Cake.

My advice - skip the sham of a museum and just take tea upstairs in the powder blue third floor tea room. Much more civilised.