Bethlem Museum of the Mind

12/06/2026

This is the story of Dr Hood and Dr Wood…

174 years ago this month Dr William Charles Hood, at 28 years old, was appointed as Bethlem’s first resident physician. Prior to his appointment in 1852, the most senior resident medical officer on the site was the Apothecary, Dr William Wood.
Upon the news of Hood’s appointment, William Wood promptly resigned, and sent a snippy letter to the Governors of the Hospital outlining his reasons.

Wood had applied for the post of Resident Physician himself, and could not tolerate the fact that his application had been overlooked in favour of Hood, someone many years his junior, and who (in Wood’s opinion) had no professional claim to be considered his superior.

Wood’s letter made no difference to the appointment of his young rival, and Dr Hood’s decade-long tenure as Resident Physician coincided with many long overdue reforms to patient care at Bethlem. Hood later served two years as the Hospital’s Treasurer, before his untimely death at the age of 46.

His memory is kept alive today by his name and family coat of arms on the oak-panelled walls of Bethlem Hospital Boardroom. He is buried in West Norwood Cemetery , one of our volunteers recently visited his grave and took some pictures.

10/06/2026

Today in 1840 Edward Oxford, aged 18, attempted to shoot Queen Victoria, firing two pistols at her carriage. Nobody was injured and Oxford was quickly arrested and put on trial, where the jury returned a verdict of “guilty but insane”, a verdict that spared him ex*****on.

Oxford was confined to the State Criminal Lunatic Asylum at Bethlem. During his time in Bethlem he showed no clear signs of mental illness and employed his time at Bethlem by learning a succession of trades and foreign languages.

He was pardoned in 1867 on the condition he leave Britain permanently. He emigrated to Australia, adopted the name John Freeman, and became a journalist and author, publishing Lights and Shadows of Melbourne Life in 1888.

07/06/2026

At Bethlem Museum of the Mind we aim to centre lived experience of mental illness through our exhibitions as well as our education programme. Sharing human experiences through stories, art and objects, helps to break down the barriers of stigma and the ‘othering’ of mental illness; it promotes understanding and compassion.

05/06/2026

Behind the scenes at our small Museum we reuse all of our temporary exhibition materials.
The showcases currently displaying beautiful pots by Bibi Herrera - along with our label holders, leaflet holders, object mounts and supports - are all reused from one exhibition to the next. We even borrow plinths from our neighbours at Bethlem Gallery !
Many larger museums make mounts and cases for individual shows and then have to sell/discard them, reusing and sharing materials helps us work more sustainably.

04/06/2026

This well worn leather bag once belonged to health visitor Cynthia McLetchie, pictured here, second from left, at the founding of the Sickle Cell Society in 1979.

Health visitors are specially trained nurses or midwives who support the health and wellbeing of babies, young children, families, and communities. Over the years, this bag would have accompanied Cynthia into countless homes, witnessing all sorts of moments of family life - happy ones, difficult ones, and everything in between.

Today, it’s part of our handling collection - around 35 objects that we use to share the history of every day life at Bethlem and the Maudsley. These items are great for getting connecting to history and opening up discussions.

03/06/2026

⭐ We would love to wish a Happy Volunteers' Week to our incredible team of volunteers here at the Museum of the Mind! ⭐

Often the first point of contact for visitors, our volunteers are the face of the museum, and their commitment to making sure everyone who walks through our doors feels welcome is always humbling.

Whether sharing their knowledge front of house, helping with archival research, conserving our brilliant artworks, leading tours, or assisting with school groups, the time they give and the dedication they show is crucial to making the museum what it is today. We couldn't function without them and, as if that wasn't enough, they're also a joy and a privilege to work with! ❤️

A huge thank you from all of us to all of you!

01/06/2026

👩‍💻 What could AI have to do with these 400-year-old tomes? 📜
Something we’re excited about in the Museum is how AI might help us to transcribe our harder to read records. These Court Minute Books, the main records of Bridewell and Bethlem Hospitals up to the 1680s, are written in secretarial hand, a form of writing very difficult for us to read and interpret. Work is still developing, but perhaps AI models can help unlock these records for our researchers and visitors in the future.

29/05/2026

Two beautiful Louis Wain artworks have sold at auction years after being found in a skip in Pembrokeshire 😺 Wain is one of Bethlem Royal Hospital's most famous patients, well known in Victorian times for his anthropomorphic cats, which appeared in vast quantities in prints, books, magazines, post-cards and annuals. Wain's cats engaged in every form of human activity from playing cricket, digging up roads, and riding bicycles, to parading the latest fashions at Ascot and making pompous after-dinner speeches at the club.

Despite his fame Wain never made much money, being highly impractical in business matters, and during the war he began to suffer real poverty. Always known as being somewhat eccentric, he began to develop signs of serious mental disorder. In June 1924, he was certified insane and admitted to Springfield Hospital in Tooting, then a few years later to Bethlem. Wain was eventually transferred to Napsbury Hospital, near St Albans, where he continued to paint until his death in 1939.

Bethlem Museum of the Mind has the UK’s largest public collection of Louis Wain artwork - we have 56 original pieces, with 5 currently on permanent display.

A couple who spotted two paintings in a skip while walking their dog have seen them fetch £16,000 at auction

They had hung on the walls of their home in Pembrokeshire for several years before they decided to learn more about the artist, according to Rogers Jones Auctioneers

The couple then realised Louis Wain was a celebrated British artist known for his depictions of cats in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

"We always joked they might be worth something one day but never truly believed it," they said

Read more: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0r2y0wwg5eo

23/05/2026

☀️ It's the Bank Holiday weekend and the sun is...shining?!
Sunlight is pouring into our stunning Art Deco foyer and staircase. Originally the Hospital's Administration building, built in 1930 by architects Charles E. Elcock and John Cheston, it's now home to Bethlem Museum of the Mind and Bethlem Gallery.

All our visitors are greeted by the iconic 'Raving and Melancholy' statues - originally displayed at the entrance to Bethlem Hospital from 1676 to 1815 and significant London landmarks of their time. They are still looking good 350 years later...especially against a blue sky backdrop 🩵

22/05/2026

🔥 As a heatwave begins today, we’re reminded of a similarly scorching day in July 1930, when Queen Mary, wife of King George V, attended as guest of honour at the formal opening of Bethlem Royal Hospital on its new Beckenham site here at Monks Orchard.

Whilst the Governors of the Hospital sweltered in suits and hats, Queen Mary was shaded by parasols and wearing a summer dress 😎

She later became the honorary President of Bethlem and consented to have her portrait hung in the Hospital’s Boardroom (where it remains to this day).