Residents' Discovery Card

If you live within Bath and North East Somerset, you can get a Discovery Card, which entitles you to certain offers and discounts in the area. 

Eligibility

To be eligible, you must live in Bath and North East Somerset, and belong to one of the following groups:

• Adults (18+) who pay Council Tax to Bath & North East Somerset Council, or can provide another proof of residency (please see the list below of types of proof that we can accept)
• Children aged 14+ (children under 14 do not need their own cards, as they are included with an adult card holder)
• Students in full-time education on a course which lasts for one year or more

View our full terms and conditions for Discovery Cards. 

Apply for a Discovery Card

WarningYou can continue to use your old Discovery Card or proof of residency and ID to access your Discovery Card benefits until the end of 2022

Available card types

Choose either a digital eCard (to be displayed on your mobile device) or a physical card (made from recyclable plastic). Digital eCards can be used with Apple Wallet or with a chosen third party application for Android.

Card collection and activation

During the application process, we will ask you to book an appointment to collect and activate your card.

We can't validate your card during your visit, unless you have booked an appointment to collect and verify your card at the time of your visit.

What you will need

We will ask you to pick your preferred ID and a proof of residency document from the list below. You must show these in person when you come in to validate and collect your card (documents can be in digital or paper format).

You also need an email address so you can receive an order confirmation email which will include the details of your booked card collection and validation appointment. If you don't have an email address, we will use a council email address in order to process your application.

ID documents and proof of residency

Choose your preferred form ID and proof of residency from the following options:

• Adult:
  • Photo driving licences (ID only)
  • Passport 
  • Expired Discovery Card
  • Bath & North East Somerset Diamond Travel Card
  • Credit card  
• Child (14-17):
  • Photo driving licences (ID only)
  • Passport
  • Expired Discovery Card
  • Current B&NES Diamond Travel Card
  • Student card
  • Birth Certificate
• Students:
  • Photo driving licences (ID only)
  • Passport
  • Expired Discovery Card
  • Bath & North East Somerset Diamond Travel Card
  • Credit card
  • Photo Student ID

• The following documents will be accepted as a proof of residency:
• Adult:
  • B&NES council tax bill (personal, from the last 12 months) 
  • Recent bill with address on it (from the last 3 months)
  • Bank or mobile phone statement (from the last 3 months)
  • Bath & North East Somerset Diamond Travel Card 
  • Correspondence from Revenues & Benefits, HMG, HMRC, NHS (from the last 3 months)
  • Recent payslip with address (from the last 3 months)
  • Signed rental contract (signed within the last 3 months)
  • Letter from refuge centre e.g. Julian House 
• Child (14-17):
  • B&NES council tax bill (personal/parent’s name if living at home, from the last 12 months) 
  • Recent utility / other bill with address (child’s name/ parent’s name if living at home, from the last 3 months)
  • Bank or mobile phone statement (personal/ parent’s name if living at home, from the last 3 months)
  • Bath & North East Somerset Diamond Travel Card
  • Correspondence from Revenues & Benefits section, HMG, HMRC, NHS (from the last 3 months)
  • Recent payslip with address (from the last 3 months)
  • Letter from college or school confirming address and length of course (from the last 3 months)
• Students:
  • B&NES council tax bill (personal, from the last 12 months)
  • Recent utility or other bill (with name and address, from the last 3 months)
  • Bank or mobile phone statement (with name and address, from the last 3 months)
  • Bath & North East Somerset Diamond Travel Card
  • Correspondence from Revenues & Benefits section, HMG, HMRC or NHS (from the last 3 months)
  • Recent payslip with address (from the last 3 months)
  • Signed rental contract (signed within the last 3 months)
  • Letter from college confirming B&NES home address and length of course (from the last 3 months)

Card collection locations

You can select any of the following locations to have your photo taken and card validated. You cannot use your card until it has been validated.

• Bath:
  • Bath Housing, Welfare & Advice Service (previously known as the Bath One Stop Shop, Manvers Street)
  • The Roman Baths
  • Fashion Museum
  • Victoria Art Gallery
• Keynsham:
  • Keynsham Library & Information Service (at the Civic Centre)
• Midsomer Norton:
  • Midsomer Norton Library & Information Service (at the Hollies)

Apply in person

If you can't apply online, you can apply in person at any of the above locations (subject to availability). Or you can call Council Connect who can fill out the online application and book your card collection visit for you. Call 01225 39 40 41. 

Where you can use your card

You are entitled to many offers, including complimentary visits to our Heritage Sites: The Roman Baths, Fashion Museum and the exhibitions in the Victoria Art Gallery as well as free entry to Parade Gardens.

You also receive discounts at the following places with your Discovery Card.

Visitor attractions

Bath Abbey

2 for 1 or buy 1, get 1 free on Tower Tour Tickets as well as on the newly launched Best of Bath Abbey tour. Offer includes public tours Monday to Saturday, 11am to 4pm. Specialised tours (e.g. private or stargazing tours) are not included in the offer.

Bath Abbey website

Bath Postal Museum 

2 for 1.

Bath Postal Museum website

Beckford's Tower

50% discount.

Beckford’s Tower website 

Herschel Museum of Astronomy

50% discount.

Herschel Museum of Astronomy website 

No.1 Royal Crescent

50% discount.

No.1 Royal Crescent website

Museum of East Asian Art

50% discount.

Museum of East Asian Art website

American Museum and Gardens

25% discount on normal admission prices (plus accompanying children under 14).

American Museum and Gardens website 

Mary Shelley’s House of Frankenstein

20% off individual entry all year (visitor attraction and escape room).

Mary Shelley's House of Frankenstein website 

Jane Austen Centre

15% discount on entry and 10% on purchases in the Regency Tea Room.

Jane Austen Centre website 

Avon Valley Railway

2 for 1 (lowest price goes free). Valid on standard steam or diesel operating days only. Not valid on dining, special event or Santa trains.

Avon Valley Railway website 

Bath City Sightseeing / Bath Bus Company

Adults travel for child rate.

Bath Bus Company website  

Museum of Bath at Work

£1 off all entries/categories.

Museum of Bath at Work website 

Radstock Museum

50p off an individual adult ticket.

Radstock museum website

Food and drink

The Bird

15% off when dining (includes lunch, afternoon tea and dinner), Monday to Friday. Offer does not include the dining domes.

The Bird website 

Homewood

15% off when dining (includes lunch, afternoon tea and dinner). Monday to Friday. Offer does not include the dining domes.

Homewood website   

Royal Hotel

15% discount.

Royal Hotel website   

The Royal Crescent Hotel

15% discount on dinner only, Monday to Thursday.

The Royal Crescent Hotel website

No.15 by GuestHouse, Bath

15% off in the restaurant and for afternoon tea, Monday to Friday and 15% discount for the spa Monday to Thursday.

No.15 by GuestHouse website 

San Francisco Fudge Factory

10% off any purchase (not valid during November and December).

San Francisco Fudge Factory website

Sports and outdoors

eBike Hire at Green Park Bike Station 

20% off the rental price. Book in advance on our website, contact us for the 20% discount code by email, or just turn up and ride (puncture repair kit included). All eBikes are new each year in a wide range of sizes.

Green Park Bike Station website   

University of Bath Sports Training Village / Team Bath

Discounted gym and classes membership, no joining fee, 1 x free Personal Training session, personalised fitness plan every 8 weeks.

Team Bath website   

Bath Boating Station

£1 for boat hire and £2 for the motor boat.

Bath Boating Station website

Bath EBike Hire

£35 discount on any Radpower bike purchased, having rented a Radpower bike from us. 

Bath EBike Hire website

Bath Outdoors

5% discount for any Discovery Card holders shopping with us + 15% off all Bath Outdoors branded equipment in the store.

Bath Outdoors website

Indoor activities

Demuths Cookery School

20% off any day or evening course.

Demuths Cookery School website 

Komedia

15% off full price Balcony tickets to any Krater Comedy Club tickets (run every Saturday night). Discount applied in cart when using promotion code: discovery. Please present your membership card on arrival. 

Komedia website 

Active Reality

60 minute session for £136 (15% discount on normal price £160) - this is recommended for groups of up to 12 people, with 6 playing at any one time (hence groups of 6 is usually the best number of people to bring). Games are 5 to 7 minutes long, then people can swap in and out, and get to see friends doing the VR, which is good fun to watch. 

Active Reality website 

Wellbeing

Thermae Bath Spa

25% discount to Bath residents/Thermae Welcome. The Thermae Welcome includes: use of towels, robes and slippers. 2 hours in the Rooftop Pool, Wellness Suite and Minerva Bath, which usually costs £38 per person Monday to Friday, and £43 per person Saturday and Sunday.

Discovery Card holders pay £28.50 per person Monday to Friday, and £31 per person Saturday and Sunday.

Thermae Bath Spa website

Homewood

15% off spa treatments, Monday to Friday.

Homewood's website   

No.15 Great Pulteney

15% off spa treatments, Monday to Thursday.

No.15 Great Pulteney Hotel's website