Creating a new character-led immersive experience at Bath Assembly Rooms

The National Trust is in the middle of developing an ambitious new experience for Bath Assembly Rooms. This character-based immersive experience introduces visitors to the Georgian heyday of the rooms through 11 fictional characters who are in Bath for the social season and who are preparing to attend Queen Charlotte’s Birthday Ball. The characters are composite characters developed from extensive research about people attending or working in Bath in the 1790s. Visitors experience the build up to the ball and then attend the ball alongside the characters.

Experience and Partnerships Curator Alice Graham will talk through the designs and then discuss some of the key things the team have learned along the way. Senior Visitor Experience Officer Hazel Hatton will explore how the National Trust have taken back management of the Bath Assembly Rooms and opened the building to visitors before capital work begins.

Your itinerary for the day:

12.00: Bring your own lunch and network with colleagues from across the south west.

12.30: Welcome from the trustees of the SWFed

12.40: Talk with Hazel Hatton, Property Operations Manager, Bath Assembly Rooms, followed by questions

13.30: Talk with Alice Graham, Experience and Partnerships Curator, Bath Assembly Rooms, followed by questions

14.30: Group 1 tour of the principle ground floor rooms. Group 2 networking with teas and coffees

15.30: Group 2 tour of the principle ground floor rooms. Group 1 networking with teas and coffees

16.30: End of event

About the speakers:

As Experience and Partnerships Curator, Alice Graham currently leads the development of the immersive Georgian Ball experience at Bath Assembly Rooms. Previously she developed exhibitions at the Science Museum and worked as Head of Exhibitions at the National Maritime Museum for 6 years. She currently lives in Wales with her family.

Hazel Hatton is an arts administrator specialising in income generation via private event sales and delivery. She has arts specific business management training and experience, as well as experience working with private and corporate clients.

Image credits:

Cover Image: Visualisations of the ball room activated as an immersive experience. Design by Sarner International. Client and Copyright National Trust.

Additional Image: Meet the characters exhibition space. Design by Sarner International. Client and Copyright National Trust.

Host or Publisher South West Fed