About

Bethlem Royal Hospital was founded in 1247 and was the first institution in the UK to specialise in the care of the mentally ill. The hospital continues to provide in-patient care as part of the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, and has been based in south London since 1930.

Situated within the hospital grounds, in a stunning Art Deco building shared with the Bethlem Gallery, Bethlem Museum of the Mind was formally opened by artist Grayson Perry in March 2015. The museum cares for an internationally renowned collection of archives, art and historic objects, which together offer an unparalleled resource to support the history of mental healthcare and treatment.

Bethlem Museum of the Mind is governed by a registered charity, the Bethlem Art and History Collections Trust (charity number 1190303). You can view our annual report and accounts on the Charity Commission web-site, or read our impact reports.

I was deeply moved and inspired by the art on display, and the space that has been made for this work. Art should not be viewed just as a visual culture but as an essential human process of self exploration and communication. The work the gallery and museum do is of vital importance and will create a legacy for the understanding of mental health for years to come. For me art is obsession, voyage of discovery and therapy all rolled into one.

– Grayson Perry