Bath Museums
Iconic Bath Museum Gift Shops Choose Futura
The gift shops at some of Bath’s most visited cultural landmarks — including the Roman Baths, the Victoria Art Gallery, and the Fashion Museum — have all successfully implemented Futura’s retail management system.
Operated by Bath & North East Somerset Council, the four shops were looking for a smarter way to manage retail operations, reduce customer queues, and streamline stock management across multiple sites.
Enhancing the Visitor Experience
Bath’s museums welcome thousands of visitors every week. With limited space in the gift shops and peak visitor periods during holidays and weekends, the team needed a system that could handle fast-paced retail environments without compromising on customer service.
They were particularly focused on:
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Speed at the tills to keep queues short
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Simplified stock control and replenishment across multiple locations
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Support for high-volume, low-value purchases (like souvenirs)
Fast, Flexible and Easy to Use
After evaluating several options, the council’s museums selected Futura’s retail management system. It was chosen for its proven performance at the point of sale, ease of use for staff, and advanced functionality behind the scenes.
One key feature was Futura’s hot key functionality, now in use across all four sites. Designed to speed up transactions and improve accuracy, this feature allows staff to quickly sell small or un-barcoded items — such as pencils, erasers, and badges — with just one tap on the touch screen.
“Futura has made a noticeable difference at the tills. During busy periods, we can serve customers faster and keep queues moving. The system is simple to use, and the hot key feature has been a game-changer for our team.”
— Retail Manager, Bath Museums
The Results: Smooth Operations & Happier Visitors
Since rolling out the system, the museum shops have seen improved efficiency and fewer delays at checkout. Staff now have better control over stock allocation and can replenish best-selling items quickly and easily.
Key Benefits:
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Faster checkout with reduced queuing
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Improved customer experience at busy times
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Better accuracy for high-volume “pocket money” items
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Easier stock management across multiple sites
The project also highlights Futura’s flexibility in adapting to the unique needs of heritage retail settings — from large museums to smaller galleries — helping institutions modernise without complexity.
