15 Best Museums in Bristol 2024: Reviews, Timings & More

If you love to explore culture and history, we think you would need more than a night at the museums in Bristol. Museums and modern and contemporary art galleries can be great places for a first date or even a solo date. The Museums in Bristol have something or the other for their visitors to engage in. Pack your bags and be ready to enter and marvel at the world of history and art by visiting some of the best museums in Bristol. 

Best Museums In Bristol To Turn Back Time! 

1. M Shed

Ticket Price: Free
Address: Princes Wharf, Wapping Rd, Bristol Bs1 4RN
Operating Hours: Tuesday to Sunday: 10 am to 5 pm. Monday- Closed
Review: 4.4/5

M Shed presents the tale of the city and its unique role in the world, spanning prehistoric eras to the present. The name of one of the best museums in Bristol stems from how the port identified each of its sheds. 3,000 Bristol artefacts and stories, as well as exhibits on transportation, people, and the arts, are housed at M Shed. These exhibits highlight Bristol's role in the slave trade. The Bristol Museum & Art Gallery highlights the rich history of Bristol. There are also three main galleries: Bristol Places, Bristol People and Bristol Life. The museum has a shop, a cafe and a learning space.

Not to miss: Historic Vessels, one of which is the world’s oldest surviving steam tug

2. Blaise Castle House Museum

Ticket price: Free
Address: Henbury Road, Bristol, BS10 7QS
Operating Hours: Thursday to Sunday- 11 am to 4 pm. Monday to Wednesday- closed.
Review: 4.3/5

Synonymous with majestic grandeur, the Blaise, Bristol Museum and Art Gallery is one of the oldest Bristol Museums. It also features among the best museums in the UK. Blaise Castle Museum will let you see through time as it features a 19th-century mansion. The Museum of Bristol has a lot for you. You will get teleported to the old history of times by discovering things such as Victorian toilets and bathtubs, kitchen and laundry appliances, model trains, dolls, toys, and period clothing. You can also explore the beautiful parkland and woodlands as well as grab a bite to eat at the cafe. Marvel at the beautiful paintings from the art collections in the picture room that are hung on the magnificent red flock paper. It is indeed one of the best museums in Bristol.

Not to miss: Paintings and Victorian period artefacts.

3. The Red Lodge Museum

Ticket price: Free
Address: Park Row, Bristol, BS1 5LJ
Operating Hours: Saturday to Tuesday- 11 am to 4 pm. Wednesday to Friday- closed.
Review: 4.5/5

Step inside the red door, unravel the mystery of the history and experience 400 years of passing by your eyes. You will feel that you have left the modern world behind once you enter the Red Lodge Museum. The highlight of the museum in Bristol is The Great Oak Room, where you can marvel at the magnificent oak panelling. The downstairs chambers feature stunning Georgian architecture. All these features bring it to the top of our list of the places to visit in Bristol for a pleasant cup of history. 

Not to miss: The Great Oak Room

4. Kingswood Heritage Museum

Ticket price: £3

Address: Tower Lane, Warmley, South Glos, BS30 8XT
Operating Hours: Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday- 2 pm to 5 pm. Monday, Wednesday to Friday- closed.
Review: 4.7/5

If you want to know the history of industrialisation and its process, Kingswood Heritage Museum is the right place for you. This anthropological and social history museum is housed in the former William Champion zinc and brass factory from the 18th century, which also has a windmill tower. You will experience the location of the first industrial brass production process in Europe. You will get to discover the 18th-century gardens, a Grotto and a beautiful statue of Neptune. The museum in Bristol is an amalgamation of fun and history, making it one of the best places to revisit history.

Not to miss: a Grotto, statue of Neptune

5. Bristol Archives

Ticket price: Free
Address: B Bond Warehouse (via Create Centre), Smeaton Road, Bristol BS1 6XN
Operating Hours: Tuesday to Friday- 9:30 am to 4:30 pm. Saturday to Monday- closed.
Review: 4.3/5

You will definitely want to visit the Bristol Archives, the most stunning museum in Bristol. If you are a history lover, it surpasses them all as one of the best museums in the UK. You will find the archives that will portray the history of Bristol. The visual arts in the Bristol Museum Archives include records dating back to the 13th century that are connected to the port. Bristol Archives is a fascinating Bristol Museum and Art Gallery alongside being a source for aspiring historians. It is one of the best museums in Bristol for those with a passion for British history.

Not to miss: British Empire and Commonwealth Collection.

6. Bristol Museum and Art Gallery

Ticket price: Free
Address: Queens Rd, Bristol BS8 1RL
Operating Hours: Tuesday to Sunday: 10 am to 5 pm; Monday- Closed

Review: 4.6/5

Bristol Museum is located in Clifton, half a mile from the city centre. The aesthetically pleasing Museum of Bristol lets you explore the beautiful contemporary art, nature and history collections. You will find yourself in the world of mummies, southwest wildlife, and more. Not only this, but you will also find beautiful paintings by French and Dutch artists. You can find art from all eras, from modern and contemporary art to Victorian art. It is indeed one of the best museums in Bristol.

Not to miss: Bristol Dinosaur, Gypsy caravan and an ingenious flying machine 

7. Royal West of England Academy (RWA)

Ticket price: £8.90 & Free entry for people under 21 and students.
Address: Queen’s Road, Clifton Bristol BS8 1PX
Operating Hours: Tuesday to Sunday- 10 am to 5 pm. Wednesday- 10 am to 7 pm. Monday- closed
Review: 4.5/5

Another one of the best museums in Bristol, The Royal West of England Academy, located in Clifton, is the oldest museum in Bristol and art gallery. It is home to five galleries and an exhibition schedule highlighting the best in traditional and modern British and contemporary art. RWA also hosts exhibitions and many creative events that excite the art connectors. Artists and visitors both will feel welcome in the academy. Sir Nicolas Serota, Chair, Arts Council England, says, "One of the most beautiful places in which to look at art in this country". 

Not to miss: exhibitions and creative events.

8. Brunel’s SS Great Britain

Ticket price: Free
Address: 133 Cumberland Road, Bristol BS1 6UX, United Kingdom
Operating Hours: Tuesday to Sunday- 10 am to 4 pm. Monday - Closed
Review: 4.8/5

One of the largest passenger ships transgressing the global waters from 1845 - 1853, it is the only one of its kind ever made. Brunel’s SS Great Britain Museum is a walking tour of the glam, glory, and eminence of the 50 ft 6 and 32 ft 6 steamship. The museum will be a time travel for you, an unforgettable journey. Could we have moved without it being on the list? Not a chance! It is also among the most famous and the best museums in the UK. 

Not to miss: All the four decks.

9. UpFest 

Ticket price: Free
Address: 198 North Street, Bristol, BS3 1JF
Operating Hours: Tuesday - Sunday: 10 am - 4.30 pm, Monday - Closed

Review: 4.7/5

Located in the heart of the city of Bristol, the Upfest brings playfulness alive through the impressive arts and creations it hosts. Upfest boasts one of the largest range of spray paints and Posca pen sets in the world. It is one of the most exciting and spectacular museums in Bristol. Bristol Museum & Art Gallery has the greatest selections of illustrations, contemporary artwork, other-worldly graffiti, and exhibitions by some of the greatest artists in the globe. 

Not to miss: Special Events & Exhibitions

10. Spike Island

Ticket price: Free
Address: 133 Cumberland Road, Bristol BS1 6UX, United Kingdom
Operating Hours: Wednesday to Sunday- 12 pm to 5 pm. Monday and Tuesday- Closed

Review: 4.6/5

The moment you enter Spike Island, you will feel a rush of inspiration for modern and contemporary art running through your veins. With a vision of making Bristol a place to make art, this place celebrates international and contemporary art in its museum. Spike Island hosts artists from all over the world in their exhibition spaces. Meet and engage in exciting and thought-provoking conversations with great writers and artists in this museum in Bristol.

Not to miss: Exhibitions

11. Arnolfini

Ticket price: £5.98
Address: 16 Narrow Quay, Bristol BS1 4QA
Operating Hours: Tuesday to Sunday- 11 am to 6 pm
Review: 4.5/5

Arnolfini, the awe-striking Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, was formerly a 19th-century warehouse in Bristol’s docks. It is a fascinating place to experience cutting-edge visual art and dance and music performances. Immerse yourself in the world of creative and contemporary art. You can also enjoy a pint in their beautiful cafe/bar. A fun fact about one of the best museums in Bristol is the Arnolfini Portrait, a picture by Jan van Eyck from the fifteenth century that inspired the gallery's name.

Not to miss: Dance and Music Performances.

12. Aerospace Bristol

Ticket price: £12.00
Address: Hayes Way, Patchway, BS34 5BZ
Operating Hours: Tuesday to Sunday- 10 am to 4:30 pm. Monday- closed
Review: 4.7/5

Aerospace Bristol is one of the most intriguing places of interest in Bristol if you want to travel to infinity and beyond. Travelling to the moon and back might not be possible for everyone, but you can definitely travel to Filton and learn about the history of aviation. Visitors at Aerospace Bristol Museum will be entertained by tales of human endeavour, individual brilliance, and ordinary people doing incredible things. The exhibition spans more than a century of aviation history, which highlights the role of aeroplanes in both world wars, moving on to the modern day after the drama and technological advancements of the space race.

Not to miss: The Aerospace galleries, The Concorde Hangar, etc.

13. Glenside Hospital Museum 

Ticket price: £5
Address: the University of the West of England, Glenside Campus, Stapleton, Bristol, BS16 1DD
Operating Hours: Wednesday- 10 am to 1 pm. Saturday- 10 am to 4 pm
Review: 4.6/5

For all psychological thriller fans, this is a must-visit museum in Bristol and also among the best museums in the city. A one of its kind and one of the best museums here, this Glenside Museum will let you enter the world of psychiatry and educate and de-stigmatise mental illness. An exciting fact about this place is that it was initially a psychiatric hospital shut down in 1994, and now, on this ground stands a psychology museum. Even though the Museum of Bristol deals with sensitive matters, there is something for everyone to explore, from straitjackets to ringing a church bell.

Not to miss:  Remarkable Local Fossil and Rare Horse Tooth

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14. Frenchay Village Museum

Ticket price: Free
Address: Begbrook Park, Frenchay, Bristol, BS16 1SZ
Operating Hours: Saturday and Sunday- 2 pm-5 pm. Wednesday- 1 pm and 4 pm

Review: 4.6/5

Frenchay Museum tells you a tale of Frenchay and its residents. Frenchay Hospital's transformation into a US Army hospital is documented in a chamber devoted to the hospital's history. Here, you may see photos from the time it was a children's TB hospital, leaflets instructing Americans on how to interact with the natives, and a visit by Frank Sinatra. 

Not to miss: Experience a unique collection of artefacts found in one of the best museums in Bristol. 

15. The Georgian House Museum

Ticket price: Free
Address: 7 Great George Street, Bristol, BS1 5RR
Operating Hours: Monday and Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday- 11 am to 4 pm. Wednesday to Friday- closed.

Review: 4.5/5

Find out what an enslaver's house and sugar plantation in Bristol could have looked like in the year 1790 in The Georgian House Museum. Enter here and get teleported to the ear of the 18th century through the tales of history written in the walls of one of the best museums in Bristol. The Georgian House is vitally significant to the history of Bristol. This museum is a six-story townhouse located right off Park Street, Bristol's famous independent shopping district. Get transported back in the time here and imagine how bustling life was here hundreds of years ago.

Not to miss: The Audio Tour.

We hope the blog will help you quench your thirst for the history and culture of Bristol. Hop on and get teleported to the amazing tourist attractions and historical and artistic wonders by visiting some of the best museums in Bristol. Now sit and plan your visit to some best museums while watching Indiana Jones. 

Bristol also offers the best of cafes and clubs hence it is true when they say you won’t have a dull moment in Bristol. Living in Bristol is a dream for many students, and it is quite easy to find student accommodation in Bristol as well. You can even check out our blog on the cost of living in Bristol.