Bethlem Museum of the Mind facts for kids
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Melancholy and Raving Madness statues
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| Established | 2015 |
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| Location | Bethlem Royal Hospital, Monks Orchard Road, Beckenham, London Borough of Bromley |
| Type | Medical museum, art museum |
The Bethlem Museum of the Mind is a special museum in London. It teaches visitors about the history of Bethlem Royal Hospital. This hospital has a long history of caring for people with mental health challenges.
The museum also shows how mental healthcare has changed over time. It opened in 2015 and is located in an Art Deco building. This building is shared with the Bethlem Gallery. The gallery displays art by artists who are or were patients at the hospital.
What You'll See at the Museum
The museum has many interesting things to explore. You can see art made by people who experienced mental health challenges. Some famous artists whose work is shown include William Kurelek, Richard Dadd, and Louis Wain.
A very old and famous exhibit is a pair of statues. They are called Raving and Melancholy Madness. These statues were made by Caius Gabriel Cibber. They used to stand at the gates of the Bethlem Hospital way back in the 1600s. Other displays help you learn about the history of mental healthcare. The museum is also part of the London Museums of Health & Medicine group.
Discovering Old Records
The museum also keeps a huge collection of old documents. These are called archives. They come from Bethlem Hospital, Maudsley Hospital, and Warlingham Park Hospital. Some records from Bridewell Hospital are also here.
These documents go all the way back to the 1500s! They help us understand what life was like and how people were cared for long ago. If you are interested, you can arrange to see these old records.
How the Museum Started
Before 2015, there was a much smaller museum at the hospital. It was called the "Bethlem Royal Hospital Archives and Museum." It mostly showed art from the hospital's collection. Because it was so small, only a tiny part of the collection could be displayed.
The new museum is much bigger. This means more art and historical items can be shown to the public. The very first special art show at the new museum was about an artist named Bryan Charnley. He was a former patient at Bethlem.
In 2016, the museum was even nominated for a big award. It was shortlisted for the Museum of the Year award! This shows how important and well-regarded the museum is.
