The Weight of History

Bethlem Royal Hospital was founded in 1247 as the Priory of St Mary of Bethlehem, and by the early fifteenth century it was specialising in the care of the ‘insane’.

Drawing on the museum’s rich collection of art and artefacts, this exhibition explores the hospital’s long history and considers the tensions inherent in balancing Bethlem’s role as one of the UK’s most venerable institutions with its primary function: to provide state of the art mental healthcare.

Free entry - all welcome