Glenside Hospital Museum

Find out more about the Glenside Hospital Museum, which currently houses students on Health and Social Care courses and has medical roots dating back to 1857.

About the museum

Glenside Hospital Museum documents the history of the site on Blackberry Hill, now UWE Bristol’s Glenside Campus.

Built in 1861 as a pioneering psychiatric hospital, the site has evolved from the Bristol Lunatic Asylum, World War I military facility Beaufort War Hospital, and in its later years Glenside Hospital. Housed in the old asylum chapel, the museum showcases an extensive collection of medical artefacts and photographs telling the story of mental health care through the years on the site.

Today, the stunning Grade II Listed 1881 chapel on Glenside Campus, houses a remarkable museum collection bringing to life the human stories, medical innovations, and challenges of mental health care through the ages.

Discover artefacts, artworks, and powerful personal histories, including links to famous artists such as Sir Stanley Spencer and Denis Reed. With objects from institutions like Stoke Park Hospital and the Burden Neurological Institute, every visit reveals something new.

What's on

The museum hosts regular art exhibitions across various themes relating to mental health and wellness, and frequently hosts talks and events, including a secret room where you can enjoy afternoon tea.

So whether you’re curious about history, medicine, or the stories behind them, this 'hidden gem’ on campus offers a compelling glimpse into the past. To explore some bite-size personal memories visit the museum’s ‘One Thing I Remember’ project.

One Thing I Remember

Volunteering opportunities

Volunteers of all ages are warmly welcomed to join the museum’s friendly team, with no prior experience required. Over the years, countless UWE Bristol students have built valuable skills and confidence through their time at Glenside Hospital Museum, using this experience as a springboard into employment in their chosen professions after graduation.