Heritage Open Days at Glenside Hospital Museum, 10am-4pm

Location: Glenside Hospital Museum, Church within the old hospital grounds, Fishponds, Bristol, BS16 1DD
FREE ENTRY: Saturday 19th September 2026
Optional upgrade: £5 History in your Hands experience (includes museum annual pass)

Located in the stunning 1881 former hospital chapel with stained glass windows and peaceful landscaped grounds, Glenside Hospital Museum invites you to discover the powerful and often surprising stories of mental health care in the U.K.

This unique museum reveals the history of three important institutions:
🔹 Glenside Hospital (formerly Bristol Lunatic Asylum)
🔹 Stoke Park Hospital (caring for people with learning disabilities)
🔹 Beaufort War Hospital (where over 29,000 WWI soldiers were treated)

From a patient-made key that unlocked every door, to evocative documentary drawings by artist Denis Reed, you'll encounter personal and poignant glimpses into the lives of patients and staff. Walk the very same tiles once scrubbed by artist Stanley Spencer during his wartime service as an orderly at the hospital.

We host frequent art exhibitions and our displays explore everything from Victorian psychiatry to early learning disability care and WWI rehabilitation. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram or subscribe to our monthly newsletter to be first in the know about our events and exhibitions.

🌟 Tea in the Turret
Climb a secret spiral staircase to our hidden balcony for a bird’s-eye view of the museum. Relax with tea and cake in a uniquely atmospheric setting.
Includes a visit to the museum. Booking essential. Buy tickets via Eventbrite.

🎨 Art exhibition

We frequently host new art exhibitions on the topic of mental health & wellbeing.

🎟 Tickets
£5 History in your Hands ticket gains entry to our exclusive experience allowing you to handle museum artefacts, try on a straitjacket and explore a deactivated ECT machine.

Includes an annual pass (unlimited visits for 12 months)

🕰 Average Visit Time: 1–2 hours (but you’re welcome to stay as long as you like)

📍 Getting Here
We're located within the old Bristol asylum walls in Fishponds. Postcode: BS16 1DD.

🚗 Parking Info

Saturdays: Free parking in the small car park outside the museum, may reach capacity on busy event days such as this.

💬 Group Bookings & Educational Tours
We welcome schools, colleges, and community groups. Our educational handling collection offers a hands-on way to explore mental health history. Visit our website for more info or to arrange a tour.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Glenside Hospital Museum, in the church, Bristol, United Kingdom

Concerts, fests, parties, meetups - all the happenings, one place.

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