Exhibitions

Now on display

A sojourn at the hospital

Each of these bricks represents 10 patients at the hospital. The darker the colour, the longer the stay.

Organise them to tell the story of the patients' lives at the hospital in any way you wish. Suitable for all ages.

Interrogating the Images

Anwyl Cooper-Willis' installation is inspired by images at Glenside Hospital Museum, and brings to life the patient population via different mediums.

On display summer 2026.

Past Exhibitions

What Brings Me Joy (2025)

The exhibition featured work from 25 artists who responded to the theme of joy using a wide range of media. Visitors discovered the artworks via a self-guided treasure hunt, designed to encourage exploration and reflection.

I Am Worthy – Self Injury Support Bristol

I Am Worthy (2025)

Inspired by characters from early modern plays and shaped by real life experiences today. I Am Worthy was a shared space of empathy, challenge and reflection to consider how self-injury has been seen, experienced and understood.

Drawings by Denis Reed (2025)

Denis Reed was a patient at Glenside Hospital in the 1950’s and suffered from bouts of severe depression. His drawings are beautifully executed and provide us with a poignant and moving account of life in the hospital.

Mood States (2025)

London-based artist Annabel Merrett's Mood States exhibition featured 12 imaginative head sculptures. Each represented a physical manifestation of different psychological or emotional states and mind's inner workings.

Answering the Call (2024)

This exhibition celebrated the often-overlooked history of Commonwealth nurses and their contribution to the NHS. A collaboration between ex-nurses, artists and members of the local community, supported by Historic England.

Every picture – George Harding portraits

Every picture tells a story (2023)

Five artists were supported by PROPS, a Bristol charity working with adults with learning disabilities to achieve their full potential. Their inspiration was drawn from the stories and beautiful colours in our stained glass windows as well as the curious objects on display.

Luke Jerram + Zaras chocolates Edible Histories giant button - 2023

Edible Histories (2023)

Luke Jerram's Edible Histories was an arts project that took place part as part of the Bristol 650 celebrations. Five objects that tell the story of Bristol were selected from Aerospace Bristol, Bristol Zoo Project, Tyntesfield, Glenside Hospital Museum and M-shed.

Looking to the Light (2022)

The national arts charity Outside In recruited ten talented artists to take part in a series of courses to explore our psychiatric collection. Many aspects of the museum and its history – from a padded room to use of mosquitoes on treatments – caught the imaginations of the artists.

I do not want to smoke (2022)

A pivotal, yet often overlooked, moment in the history of medical cinema. Bringing to life one of the world’s first attempts to incorporate the cinema into psychotherapeutic treatment, this short film installation used hypnosis to try and help patients quit smoking.

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

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"Absolutely loved our visit today. Delicious coffee and cake at Tea in the Turret, lovely volunteers and such an interesting and important Bristol museum. Highly recommended and a great way to spend a Saturday. Deffo coming back again"

Kate Morgan

"I can absolutely recommend visiting the museum too, one of the most compassionate little corners of Bristol, detailing the history of mental health care both in historic Stapleton and nationally. It will make you cry and think, and feel grateful.....and the quotes from the 1880s - how did we go so wrong with our care of the fragile?

l've been a number of times now and I always find something new to see and new perspectives to think about. I'm so glad there are people preserving this heritage”

Lisa Allen

Explore our museum from anywhere

Discover the fascinating history of Glenside Hospital Museum wherever you are. Browse our collection, artists and exhibitions through the free Bloomberg Connects app, and don’t miss our specially curated Top 20 Objects.

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