Bethlem Royal Hospital Archives & Museum

The Bethlem Royal Hospital
Monks Orchard Road
Beckenham
Kent
BR3 3BX
England

Website

www.bethlemheritage.org.uk

E-mail

Telephone

Head of Archives and Museum

020 3228 4307

Archivist

020 3228 4053

Education and Outreach

020 3228 4537

Secretary/General Enquiries

020 3228 4227

Fax

General

020 3228 4045

All information is supplied by the venues or providers themselves and every effort is made to ensure it is correct. Please remember to double check opening hours with the venue concerned before making a special visit.

Founded in 1247, Bethlem Royal Hospital is now in Beckenham, South London, as part of the wider South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. The Archives and Museum service is unique in UK as the only one dedicated to the history of mental health treatment. De-stigmatising mental illness is one of its major roles. Limited in space, the Archives and Museum will be moving to larger premises on the same site in 2010.

Venue Type:

Archive, Museum

Opening hours

Mon - Fri 0930 - 1630

Closed: Sat
Sun
Public Holidays
Other statutory holidays (NHS)

Admission charges

Free

General services and facilities

Brochure or leaflet available with directions to museum

Disability access

Wheelchair access to all public areas

Research and adult learning

Academic publications and resources available
Research facilities for academics
Study facilities

Additional info

Archives and reference library open to the public by appointment only. Museum opening hours cannot be guaranteed at all times. Please telephone to check before planning a visit.

The Bethlem Royal Hospital
Monks Orchard Road
Beckenham
Kent
BR3 3BX
England

Website

www.bethlemheritage.org.uk

E-mail

Museum

jmichael.phillips@slam.nhs.uk

Education and Outreach

caroline.smith@slam.nhs.uk

General enquiries

heather.reed@slam.nhs.uk

Telephone

Head of Archives and Museum

020 3228 4307

Archivist

020 3228 4053

Education and Outreach

020 3228 4537

Secretary/General Enquiries

020 3228 4227

Fax

General

020 3228 4045

Collections illustrate aspects of mental health and mental healthcare. They include archives of Bethlem Hospital (the original 'Bedlam') and the Maudsley Hospital (founded in the 20th century, influential in psychiatric teaching and research). Historical objects relate mainly to Bethlem. The unique art collection contains works by artists, past and present, who have suffered from mental health problems. It comes from many sources, not only from the Bethlem and Maudsley Hospitals.

Collection details

Archives, Fine Art, Medicine, Personalities, Social History

Key artists and exhibits

Richard Dadd
Louis Wain
William Kurelek
Jonathan Martin
Vaslav Nijinsky
Cynthia Pell
Caius Gabriel Cibber's statues of 'Raving and Melancholy Madness' from 17th century Bedlam