Image: Explore the Collection pieces from Fashion Museum Bath collection (Bath & North East Somerset Council)
The museum’s ‘Explore the Collection’ pilot is hoped to allow access to its Dress of the Year collection until its reopening in 2030
Bath’s Fashion Museum is set to launch a new pilot project, the first searchable online catalog of its collection.
The ‘Explore the Collection’ project is launched in collaboration with Bath & North East Somerset Libraries, and is funded by Arts Council England, through its Unlocking Collections programme.
The museum temporarily closed its doors in 2022 for a major transformation and location move which is still underway.
The museum expects to reopen in 2030 at Bath’s Grade II listed Old Post Office building. An architect was appointed last year to reimagine the space.
Meanwhile, the museum’s designate collection has been moved to temporary storage at Dents heritage glovemakers in Warminster.
The Museum said the project will allow visitors a new form of access to the collection while its relocation continues.
The first phase of the project will develop a prototype online catalogue, co-created by local young people in partnership with Bath & North East Somerset Libraries.
It will focus on Dress of the Year; the Museum’s globally renowned ‘collection within a collection’ which each year celebrates a standout outfit selected by an industry expert.
The project will offer young people the chance to work alongside experts in online collections, gaining practical experience to inspire future careers in the creative industries.
Fashion Museum Bath’s project director Sophie McKinlay said the museum “[will] aim to set a new standard in cultural preservation and accessibility.
Initial work on Explore the Collection will begin shortly, with workshops planned over the Spring and Summer.
