Tea in the Turret: Museum Visit & Cake
Overview
We invite you to relax while enjoying a cup of tea (or coffee/herbal tea if you'd prefer...) and a slice of cake in this quirky little secret space, alongside a visit to our museum of mental health care. Tea in the Turret slots are 90 minutes long. Max capacity = 4 people. I have booked the 12.30 antrance so please arrive 5-10 minutes before the booking time to allow time to check in at the reception desk. You can spend as much time in the museum as you wish, after your turret booking. The museum is open from 10am-4pm. There is parking and toilets.
The turret room and balcony are part of our Grade II listed chapel, constructed in 1881. While once it played host to the hospital's medical superintendent and his family during church services, we’ve now transformed it into a lighthearted reflection of the content of our museum.
Please note, the Turret room is not a fully accessible part of our venue if you have limited mobility, due to its spiral staircase. This seems like an interesting thing to do on a Saturday afternoon, I've never heard of it before it sounds fascinating. If you'd be willing to host, let me know and I'll say thanks with a voucher after the event has taken place. The booking is for a maximum of 4 people, so don't hesitate if it's of interest.
Includes
- Museum Entry
- Booking Fee
- Tea & Cake in The Turret
Extras
- Any other refreshments or merchandise
Glenside Hospital Museum's extensive collection of objects, images and history collected since 1984 from several hospitals including Bristol's purpose-built psychiatric hospital, which had a brief spell as Beaufort War Hospital during the First World War and the Stoke Park Colony of learning disability hospitals.
The museum provides a stimulating environment to think about hospital care; there is something to interest everyone. The purpose-built mental health hospital opened in 1861 as the Bristol Lunatic Asylum. The collection is in the Victorian chapel, itself a unique example of the care they placed on providing hope to the patients, with the exquisitely carved alter piece depicting the joyous navity scene of the birth of Jesus. To support patient well-being the x-hospital and chapel building are set within extensive landscaped grounds. Throughout its history the building has gone through many changes, but looking at the warm grey pennant stone and walking round the museum you can begin to imagine the lives of the many people who have lived and worked here.
Tea in the Turret is a playful showcase of the 5 elements of mental health care in a pre-medication era: a good diet, adequate exercise and plentiful sleep, alongside purposeful occupation and pleasant surroundings.
An uplifting homely environment was thought to lift to the spirits in a way that could improve mental health, so the wards were often decorated in patterned wallpaper and cheerful colours. This can be seen in the artist Stanley Spencer’s painting “bed making”, inspired by his time here as a medical orderly during the institution’s time as Beaufort War Hospital.
Occupation often comprised work on the hospital farm for men, and laundry or needlework for women.
The turret room and balcony were constructed in 1881 as part of the Chapel. We've transformed this historic and unique space into a lighthearted reflection of the museum's content.
| Type | Price | |
|---|---|---|
| Member Ticket | £18.00 | Available |
| Non Member Ticket | £18.00 | Available |
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