Glenside Hospital Museum

Explore Mental Health, Inspire Change

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

News & Events

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.  PoW! was formally launched as a fundraising campaign by Bristol's Lord Mayor Andrew Varney on Sunday 23rd March

We have an exciting calendar of PoW! events, including our unique Tea in the Turret experience and PoW! Saturdays. Click here for more details. 

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.

From Wednesday 23rd May we will be showcasing Mood States by Annabel Merrett, a creative and thought-provoking exhibition that is sure to spark some interesting conversations. More information and tickets,

April 15, 2025

Mood States exhibition: opens Wednesday 23rd May

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.
April 14, 2025

Our PoW! (Protect Our Wellbeing) initiative – events and campaign page

Glenside Hospital Museum is not just about preserving history — it’s about shaping the future. Thanks to funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, 2025 will see the launch of the PoW! (Protect Our Wellbeing) initiative. Find out more details here and book tickets for some our exciting community events.

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.

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.

 

"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 Bergen

"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

Donate

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

Contact us about the museum