TRAVEL TEST

WHAT: Mary Shelley’s House of Frankenstein. This museum tells the little known story behind the writing of Frankenstein, not least that most of it was written in Bath in 1816.

The museum commemorates the fascinating life of Mary Shelley and her now legendary creation. It aims to retrace the major events of her often tragic yet colourful existence while giving context to the creation of her masterpiece. Prices start from £12.50 per person, plus one free ticket when you buy one of the museum’s unique e-books. houseoffrankenstein.com WHERE: The museum is set in a fine Georgian townhouse in the centre of historic Bath. It’s not far from the train station and Charlotte Street car park, making it a very easy attraction to visit. It’s also easy to pop into when walking round the city. Bath is 80 minutes from London by train and a short drive from both the M4 and M5 motorways. It’s also just 19 miles from Bristol Airport.

EXPERIENCE: Immersive. The townhouse owners have done a great job in evoking the spirit of Mary’s life and the gothic tones of the novel.

At times they successfully blur the lines between museum and interactive experience, especially in the spooky basement.

The museum spreads out across the four floors of the house with rooms dedicated to different aspects of Mary Shelley’s complex life. Other rooms focus on other aspects of her creation, such as Frankenstein in popular culture.

It all culminates in the ‘monster’ – with the visitor confronted with a formidable 8ft breathing creature, just as Mary, not Hollywood, imagined. In future, Escape Rooms will also be added to the museum.

QUIBBLES: None really, although I would think twice about letting younger children experience the creepy basement. Apart from that, it is a truly fascinating and thoughtprovoking experience.

VERDICT: Excellent creature feature. 9/10