September 5, 2019

Interrogating the Images

The museum houses the story of the institution opened, in 1861, as Bristol Lunatic Asylum. Before the asylum was built it was derided by the mayor and city councillors as the ‘Lunatic Pauper Palace’. They were adamant that the building was an unnecessary expense and for 16 years the city managed to resist its legal requirement to provide decent accommodation for lunatics.