Glenside Hospital Museum

Explore Mental Health, Inspire Change

Our Collections

Destigmatising mental illness and learning difficulties, bringing attention to personal wellbeing and increasing understanding of the brain and selfcare 

News & Events

Latest events and exhibitions

We are delighted to announce that our PoW! (Protect Our Wellbeing) initiative has received funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to strengthen and preserve our organisation for future generations. 

We have an exciting calendar of PoW! events, including our unique Tea in the Turret experience every Saturday until September, and Exploring Glenside: a guided walking tour on Saturday 26th July. Visit our PoW! campaign page here for full info & tickets.

We are now live on the Bloomberg Connects free digital guide. This app provides a unique way for visitors to engage with the museum both during your visit or from any device anywhere. Download the app here.

Our exhibitions for the summer season are now on display: Mood States by Annabel Merrett, I Am Worthy and drawings by Denis Reed. All exhibitions are included in normal museum entry. More information and tickets.

June 9, 2025
June 9, 2025

Open exhibition: What brings me joy

One aspect of maintaining mental fitness is to participate in activities that bring joy. With this exhibition we would like to celebrate creativity as well as entertain our visitors. We welcome artists who would like to use our collection for inspiration, but this is not a requirement. The exhibition is in a church so it is not a traditional space. Submissions close Weds 20th August, visit this page for full info on how to apply.
June 4, 2025
June 4, 2025

Exploring Glenside: a guided walking tour, Sat 26th July

On Saturday 26th July at 11am, join our experienced guide Anwyl Cooper-Willis for a fascinating guided walking tour unlocking a secret side of Bristol. Explore the historic grounds of this former psychiatric institution, later known as Glenside Hospital. A limited number of tickets are available for this event. Booking required.
May 17, 2025
May 17, 2025

Now on display: Mood States exhibition

Mood States has been exhibited at, among other places, the Royal College of Psychiatrists and The Museum of the Mind. We now welcome this fascinating collection to Glenside Hospital Museum in Bristol. Featuring a dozen head sculptures, each representing different mood states, the collection offers a physical manifestation of the mind's inner workings, assuring viewers they are not alone in their darkest thoughts.

Our Collections

We house three collections

Volunteering

The museum has a wide variety of projects and is always looking for people to work on them. There is a lot of historical research to conduct, displays to be put together, and general work to ensure we provide the best visitor experience we can.

We are flexible and able to give volunteers a role that fits in with their own interests or requirements.

Volunteer Options
Doctors and leaders at the Beaufort War Hospital

Visit Us

Glenside Hospital Museum is located within the grounds of the old psychiatric hospital housed in the 1881 Grade II listed asylum church. The main hospital building is now used by the University of West of England as their Health and Social Care Campus. We’re in situated in the Grade II listed church just inside the grounds. For more details, including group booking and accessibility, please see our visiting page.

 

Visitor Info

"If you have never been to Glenside Hospital Museum, it is a wonderful museum. It is not gloomy or depressing but fascinating and hopeful. A really progressive institution."

Julie Begen

"A fabulous history of the area, the hospitals, and of approaches to mental health and learning disabilities. An amazing array of artefacts, surgical instruments and ephemera. The staff were really welcoming and knowledgeable. Absolutely loved it!"

Lea Roberts

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To stay open the Museum relies on the generosity of our visitors

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