Happy Burn's Night! To celebrate we are sharing this delightful feline bagpiper on the cover of Louis Wain's Little Soldiers, written by May Crommelin, published around 1916. The hero of this story is Tommy Catkin, who rises through the ranks to captain, and marries the King's daughter ๐บ
#burnsnight
Our new exhibition, Kindred, is now open! Featuring art from our stored collections, as well as photos by Gareth McConnell, paintings by the artist Mud, and a triptych by Annabel Merrett.
โ Open Wed-Sat 9:30am-5pm, free admission
๐ bit.ly/MOTM_Kindred
๐ผ๏ธ Image: 'Two Embracing Figures' by David Chick
We are thrilled to be mentioned in the Londonist's list of top exhibitions to see in London this month! bit.ly/3LJm9Uc
Our exhibition, ๐๐ช๐ฏ๐ฅ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ฅ, opens this Friday 16 January. Focusing on the power of communities for those suffering mental health challenges.
Two Embracing Figures by David Chick
Our new exhibition, Kindred, opens this Friday, but if you were to visit tomorrow afternoon you may catch a sneak peek in advance ๐
๐๏ธ KIndred: 16 January - 27 June 2026
๐bit.ly/MOTM_Kindred
๐ผ๏ธ Image: Totem Pole II by Ben Silcock
๐ผ๏ธ It's the last Saturday of the Bethlem Art Fair! There's still loads of gorgeous, one-of-a-kind, affordable art to be found: from sculpture to greetings cards, pottery to oil painting. Don't miss out!
Open 9:30-5pm - entry is free
#affordableart #bethlemmuseumofthemind Bethlem Gallery
๐ซ Kindred: The Loneliness of Suffering and the Community of Lived Experience
๐ Opens Friday 16 January at Bethlem Museum of the Mind
๐ bit.ly/MOTM_Kindred
#mentalhealth #kindred #freeexhibition
Only ONE week left to explore the Bethlem Art Fair! ๐จ๐ผ๏ธ
Discover unique, affordable pieces and take home something truly special. Donโt miss out! Open today 9:30am-5pm.
#bethlemgallery #bethlemartfair Bethlem Gallery #affordableart
๐ It's a brand New Year! ๐
We're open again tomorrow! Start the year off exploring mental health history, strolling in the grounds of the Hospital, and shopping at the Bethlem Art Fair (just one week left to bag some affordable one-of-a-kind art!)
๐ Open 9:30 โ 5pm
#bethlemmuseumofthemind #artfair
๐ The sun sets on this Christmas Eve and weโre taking a festive break! Our doors will reopen on Friday 02 January 2026 at 9:30am.
โจ Seasonal greetings from everyone here at Bethlem Museum of the Mind โจ
Remember we are open:
๐ Today!
๐ Tomorrow, Fri 19 December
๐ฒ Sat 20 December
๐Christmas Eve, Wed 24 December
Drop by for some last minute Christmas shopping at the Bethlem Art Fair and Museum shop, and soak up a little history before the holidays ๐ผ๏ธ
Images: All available in the Museum shop!
We're excited to announce our first exhibition of 2026 - 'Kindred: the loneliness of suffering and the community of lived experience' opens on 16 January 2026 ๐ bit.ly/MOTM_Kindred
Image: Holding Onto Daddy by Benji Reid
#bethlemmuseumofthemind #mentalhealth #community #kindred #art #photography
๐ Christmas at Bethlem 1859 โจ
When the Hospital was situated at St George's Fields (see second photo for the impressive exterior!) balls were usually held monthly. This illustration captures the festive spirit of these gatherings ๐
#christmasatbethlem #victorianchristmas
๐ Christmas at Bethlem, 1907. When the hospital was located at St Georgeโs Fields (now the site of London's Imperial War Museum!), the male and female wards shared communal spaces filled with art, curiosities, and statues - one of which we see here decorated as Father Christmas! ๐
A little Christmas treat from us ๐งฉ
Enjoy a free #LouisWain online jigsaw!
๐ bit.ly/3p1y6na
(Image: Cat's Christmas by Louis Wain)
#louiswain #jigsaw #mindful #bethlemmuseumofthemind
We are OPEN today!
9:30am-5:30pm today, free entry and plenty of festive shopping to be had in the Bethlem Art Fair! Plus discover the history of Bethlem and mental health treatment in our permanent Museum display ๐ง ๐๐ผ๏ธ
#bethlemartfair #bethlemmuseumofthemind
#christmasshopping
๐ Christmas Opening Hours! โจ
Bethlem Museum of the Mind will be closed from ๐ง๐ต๐ ๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ ๐ฎ๐ฑ - ๐ง๐ต๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ฎ๐ป ๐ฎ๐ฒ but there's plenty of time to visit before Christmas!
Open every Wed-Sat (excl. dates above) and entry is FREE ๐
bit.ly/visitmotm
#bethlemmuseumofthemind #christmasinlondon #freeentry
Louis Wain Christmas Cards available to buy in the Museum shop and online ๐ป
Three Cats and Plum Pudding, Cat's Christmas, and Carol Singing Cats -all by Louis Wain (1860-1939)
bit.ly/louiswainshop
#louiswain #catsandchristmas #louiswaincats #bethlemmuseumofthemind
Our archive may be small, but itโs mighty - housing over 6,000 itemsโฏthat trace the evolution of psychiatric care through Bethlem Royal Hospital, the Maudsley & Warlingham Park. Whether you're a researcher, student, or curious visitor, there's a story here waiting to be uncovered.
#EYAYourArchives
2026 marks 350 years since Bethlem moved from its medieval Bishopsgate home to a purpose-built site at Moorfields, with the iconic Raving & Melancholy statues installed over the gates. Todayโs site still sits on a 999-year lease from the City of London, so only 649 years left...
#EYAAnniversaries
Our Archives are open to all, we strive to make them accessible. We recently hosted sessions at River House, Bethlemโs forensic unit, to explore our collections for Black History Month. We were blown away by the enthusiasm from participants! More on Black lives & Bethlem-bit.ly/44hFnGL #EYAInclusion
You can explore our Lantern Slide Collection on our website for free! bit.ly/MOTMLantern Including early 20th-century gems like Sister Simpson dressed as Southwark Hospital for a fancy dress ball!
Weโre working on digitising more records in 2026, watch this space!
#EYADigital #ExploreYourArchives
Thereโs a long history of pets in the hospital - how many animals you can spot in this photo of an 1850s ward? The Victorians believed a homely environment, with pets, was beneficial for patients. Today, we have our own Hospital cat, who has to be gently kept away from our artworksโฆ
#EYAPets #Arlo
Hidden in our archives are what remains of the stories of people who were not heard in their lifetime. Our Change Minds projects explored the lives of real people in our casebooks, but there are hundreds more waiting to be re-discovered.
Uncover their stories here bit.ly/MOTM_people
#EYASilence
Bethlem was founded as The Priory of the Order of St Mary of Bethlehem in 1247. The Order disappeared from history in the 1300s, but they gave us our name and our first symbol โญ Our star pin is inspired by a medieval manuscript recording activities of the Order bit.ly/bethlemstarpin
#EYAMedieval
๐ Christmas & New Year Opening Hours ๐
Hereโs when weโll be open over the festive season:
โ
Wednesday 24 December โ OPEN 09:30โ17:00
โ Thursday 25 Dec - Thursday 01 Jan (inclusive) โ CLOSED
โ
Friday 2 January โ OPEN 09:30โ17:00
โจ Wishing you a Merry Christmas & Happy New Year! โจ
The work of Stanley Lench is both beautiful and simultaneously a critique of the construction of beauty, and of art itself. You can view more of his extraordinary and vivid art here ๐ bit.ly/MOTM_Lench
#EYABeauty
Image: Marlene Dietrich (c.1975)
Our latest conservation project is also the most visible! Bethlem's turret clock, on top of the Museum building, is being restored and will tell the time for our visitors early in the New Year ๐ฐ๏ธ
Scaffolding is in place, but weโre open as usual!
#EYAConservation @maudsleynhs.bsky.social
๐โจ The Bethlem Art Fair is back, now in the Museum of the Mind's exhibition space! ๐จ๐ผ๏ธ
Discover a stunning variety of paintings, prints, ceramics, and more, all at affordable prices. Opens tomorrow!
#BethlemArtFair #BethlemMuseumOfTheMind #ChristmasShopping #ShopSmall #SupportArtists @bethlemgallery
Celebrating Museum Shop Sunday all week in our online shop! Find unique, meaningful gifts and support Bethlem Museum of the Mind! Link in bio ๐๐๏ธ๐๐
#BethlemMuseumOfTheMind #MuseumShopSunday @museumshops.bsky.social #museumshops #ShopWithPurpose #shoplocal #beckenham #westwickham #croydon #bromley
