15 Best Museums In Bristol

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. 

Museums in Bristol for History Lovers

M Shed

Ticket Price: free museum entry.
Address: Princes Wharf, Wapping Rd, Bristol Bs1 4RN
Operating Hours: Tuesday to Sunday: 10 am to 5 pm. Monday- Closed.

M Shed presents the tale of the city and its unique role in the world, spanning prehistoric eras to the present. This Bristol museum's name, which is 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. This museum highlights the rich history of Bristol. There are also 3 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
Nearby Attractions: Bristol Cathedral, Queen Square, Bristol Aquarium, etc.
Nearby public transportation: bus- 5-min walk from Broad Quay; train- a 20-min walk from Bristol Temple Meads.

Blaise Castle House Museum

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

Blaise Castle Museum will let you see through time as it features a 19th-century mansion. This museum in Bristol has a lot for you. You will get teleported to the old history of times by discovering 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 is hung on the magnificent red flock paper. This indeed is one of the best museums in Bristol.

Not to miss: paintings and Victorian period artefacts. 
Nearby Attractions: Blaise Hamlet, University of Bristol Botanic Garden, etc.
Transportation options: bus- 1,2,3,4,76,623 and MC5; train- Great Western Railway.

The Red Lodge Museum

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

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 this museum in Bristol is The Great Oak Room, where you can marvel at the magnificent oak panelling. The downstairs chambers feature stunning Georgian architecture. 

Not to miss: The Great Oak Room
Nearby Attractions: Royal Fort House, Bristol Cathedral, etc.
Transportation options: bus- 44, 48A, 7, M1, M4, X4, Y1; train- 2-min walk away from College Green.

Kingswood Heritage Museum

Ticket price: £3.00
Address: Tower Lane, Warmley, South Glos, BS30 8XT
Operating Hours: Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday- 2 pm to 5 pm. Monday, Wednesday to Friday- closed

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. This museum in Bristol is an amalgamation of fun and history, making it one of the best museums in Bristol.

Not to miss: a Grotto, statue of Neptune
Nearby Attractions: Avon Valley Adventure & Wildlife Park, etc.
Transportation options: bus- 48A, 2-min walk away from Blackberry Hospital.

Bristol Archives

Ticket price: Free museum entry.
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.

You will definitely want to visit this museum in Bristol if you are a history lover. 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 is connected to the port. Bristol Archives is a fascinating source for aspiring historians and those with a passion for British history.

Not to miss: British Empire and Commonwealth Collection.
Nearby Attractions: Bristol Zoo Gardens, Brandon Hill, etc.
Transportation options: bus- Create Centre (BS1 and 6NX)

Museums in Bristol for Art Lovers

Bristol Museum and Art Gallery

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

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

Not to miss: Bristol Dinosaur, Gypsy caravan and an ingenious flying machine 
Nearby Attractions: Clifton Downs, Castle Park, Bath Abbey
Transportation options: bus- 1,2,8, and 9 bus services; train- 25-min walk from Bristol Meads.

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.

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 this 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.
Nearby Attractions: Victoria Rooms, Wills Memorial Building Tower, etc.
Transportation options: bus- 8 and 9 from Bristol Temple Meads; train- 10-min walk from Bristol Temple Meads.

Spike Island

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

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.
Nearby Attractions: Titanic Experience Cobh, St. Colman’s Cathedral, etc.
Transportation options: ferry- Kennedy pier, Cobh, bus and train- Cork City Centre.

Arnolfini

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

Arnolfini, formerly a 19th-century warehouse in Bristol’s docks, 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.  

Fun fact: The Arnolfini Portrait, a picture by Jan van Eyck from the fifteenth century, inspired the gallery's name.

Not to miss: dance and music performances.
Nearby Attractions: St Nicholas Market, Bristol Cathedral, etc.
Transportation options: bus- 3,48A, 7, M1, PORT and X4, 5-min walk from Bristol City Centre.

Museums in Bristol for Science Lovers

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.

Aerospace Bristol will take you 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 Conrode Hangar, etc.
Nearby Attractions: Leap of Faith, Bristol Activity Centre, Crocs R Us, etc.
Transportation options: bus- Gipsy Patch Lane and High Leaze Road; train- Bristol Parkway.

Museums in Bristol for All

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.

For all psychological thriller fans, this is a must-visit museum in Bristol. 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 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.
Nearby Attractions: Snuff Mills, Oldbury Court Estate, etc.
Transportation options: bus- 48A, 2-min walk away from Blackberry Hospital, Fishpond stop.

You can also check out our top attractions in Bristol to explore the city of Bristol!

Frenchay Village Museum

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

Frenchay Museum tells you a tale of Frenchay and its residents. Frenchay Hospital's transformation into a U.S. 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. Experience a unique collection of artefacts found in this museum. 

Nearby Attractions: Snuff Mills, Stoke Park Estate, etc.

The Georgian House Museum

Ticket price: Free museum entry
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. 

Find out what a slave owner'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. 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 would bustling life was here hundreds of years ago.

Nearby Attractions: Clifton Suspension Bridge, Bristol Cathedral, Cabot Tower, etc. 
Transportation options: bus- Park Street.

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We hope this blog will help you quench your thirst for the history and culture of Bristol. Hop on and get teleported to the 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.