December 2021 at the American Museum & Gardens

The Enchanted Garden of Light
9-31 December, entry 4.30 to 8.30pm
Booking at americanmuseum.org/Christmas
This December the American Museum & Gardens launches an immersive Christmas lights trail that will illuminate the dramatic hillside setting as never before. As Bath’s only Christmas lights trail, tickets are anticipated to sell quickly, with families and friends making early plans to be together for the festive season in this magnificent open-air setting.
Visitors to The Enchanted Garden of Light will embark on an after-dark adventure through glittering displays that will emblazon the entire house, gardens, and woodland in glorious seasonal colour. The hourlong trail has been designed in partnership with innovative lighting designers SLX and will include a series of captivating site-specific installations set to sound and music. Also on offer will be a variety of festive food and drink stalls, including chestnuts roasting, gourmet hotdogs and burgers from New York deli Spenglers, spiced apple, hot chocolate, and other warming drinks, as well as a prosecco bar served from a vintage Morris Minor. There will be an opportunity for visitors to combine some Christmas shopping at The Christmas Coach House, a magical and immersive Christmas shopping experience, with a wide selection of decorations and gifts.

Christmas at Claverton
Visit the American Museum during the Christmas season
Open daily, 11am-3pm from, 25 November to 31 December (not 6/13/25/26 Dec)
A visit to Claverton Manor, the magnificent Georgian home of the American Museum, over the festive season is an essential part of the festive season. Each year the Museum’s skilled volunteers decorate the public areas and galleries incredible handmade decorations, taking on a theme or telling a story. For 2021 the theme is based on sustainability and nature, bringing the outside in, with natural materials, papercraft and fabric featured throughout.
The American Museum’s famous Christmas tree, a 17-foot Nordmann Fir, which takes pride of place in Claverton Manor’s Central Hall, is decorated uniquely each year to a different theme, and is a highlight of a visit during December. If ever there was a perfect spot for a Christmas “selfie” or capturing an annual festive photograph of your children, this is it! This year’s tree takes the theme of Winter Woodland, covered with woodland creatures cut from paper inspired by the Pennsylvania-German tradition of Scherrernschnitte.

Daytime opening: Daily from 25 November to 31 December, 11am to 3pm (please note the museum will be closed on 25 December, and will be operating escorted tours only from 20-24 Dec and 27-31 Dec).

A Christmas Evening with Noctis Chamber Choir
Saturday 4 December, 7.30pm
Tickets: £15 from americanmuseum.org
Join Noctis Chamber Choir for a festive evening of Christmas classics in the Stables at the American Museum & Gardens. Noctis is an award-winning chamber choir which has established itself as one of Bath’s premier vocal ensembles, a group of highly skilled choral singers who are known for their versatility and innovation. Under the expertise of their founding director, Francis Faux, the choir have performed at many prestigious venues in SW England, including Bath Abbey, Wiltshire Music Centre, Bristol Cathedral, and The Holburne Museum.

Find out more on the American Museum & Gardens website.