Climb the secret spiral staircase for a cup of tea and cake in this uniquely cosy balcony room with an aerial view of our museum

Tea in the Turret: a quirky afternoon tea party in Bristol

We invite you to climb a secret spiral staircase to discover this unique historic space, which we've transformed into a cosy and light-hearted place to enjoy tea, cake and a little time away from the everyday.

Hidden away high in our historic chapel at Glenside Hospital Museum, this unusual turret room was built in 1881 and has a fascinating story to tell. Once part of Bristol Lunatic Asylum (later renamed Glenside Hospital), it offers a glimpse into a little-known corner of Bristol's past.

Explore some niche history with a visit to our museum, while indulging in a touch of escapism in the Turret. Come and enjoy something wonderfully different to do in Bristol!

Location: Fishponds, Bristol

What's included: Tea/coffee/herbal tea + cake, museum entry

Duration: 90 minutes

Ages: 5+

Capacity: Up to 4 people

Price: £15 per adult, £6 per child

Booking notes:

Your booking is a private party.

Please use the "add on" option to add up to 4 guests.

Dietary requirements/drinks:

If you have specific dietary requirements please let us know at least 7 days ahead of your booking by dropping us an email (https://glensidemuseum.org.uk/contact/). Given adequate notice we can cater for gluten free, dairy free and vegetarian diets.

Please give us at least 7 days notice if you'd like a different drink to tea, coffee or herbal tea.

On the day:

Please arrive 5-10 minutes before your booking time to allow us to check you in at our reception desk.

We'd love you to stay for as long as you like exploring the main body of our museum during opening hours (10am-4pm).

More information about the Tea in the Turret experience

The turret room and balcony are part of our Grade II listed chapel, constructed in 1881. While once it played host to the hospital's medical superintendent and his family during church services, we’ve now transformed it into a lighthearted reflection of the content of our museum.

Tea in the Turret is a playful showcase of the 5 elements of mental health care in a pre-medication era: a good diet, adequate exercise and plentiful sleep, alongside purposeful occupation and pleasant surroundings.

An uplifting homely environment was thought to lift to the spirits in a way that could improve mental health, so the wards were often decorated in patterned wallpaper and cheerful colours. This can be seen in the artist Stanley Spencer’s painting “bed making”, inspired by his time here as a medical orderly during the institution’s time as Beaufort War Hospital.

Occupation often comprised work on the hospital farm for men, and laundry or needlework for women.

If you have any questions about this experience, please don’t hesitate to drop us a message via Eventbrite, social media (https://www.instagram.com/glenside_museum/) or our website (https://glensidemuseum.org.uk/introducing-our-pow-protect-our-wellbeing-initiative-971/).

Description supplied by the event organiser.