Five Museums to visit in Bristol

from Bristol Weekly Magazine 10th - 17th March 2022

Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience

5 Museums to visit in Bristol

Looking to get your culture fix in Bristol? Here are the best museums for art, history, science and so much more!

Great news, Cultural hunters – Bristol is one of the best cities for museums and art galleries. You’d be hard-pressed to walk a hundred yards through central Bristol without stumbling upon a huge cultural institution. Everything from kid-friendly interactive permanent exhibits to mega-cool contemporary art galleries to a revamped steam ship, pretty much all tastes are catered for in Bristol.

A family-friendly museum where you can see everything from ancient Egyptian mummies to modern art.

1. Bristol Museum & Art Gallery 2. Arnolfini

Harbourside modern art gallery heading into an exciting new era. Formerly a 19th-century warehouse in Bristol’s docks, the Arnolfini is the place to see cutting-edge performance and visual art. And if art isn’t your thing, the café-bar and waterside seating area makes it the perfect place for a cold beer on a hot day. Looking for prezzies? The bookshop here is brilliant.

3. M Shed

Explore the museum’s permanent art and natural history collections, plus an enticing range of temporary shows. Highlights include the Bristol dinosaur (yes, it has one), a beautifully preserved Gypsy caravan and an ingenious flying machine. Right next to the iconic Wills Memorial Tower, the building’s pretty special too.

Dockside museum telling the history of a modern city. The M Shed is one of Bristol’s newest museums (it opened in 2011), but it’s also one of its most popular. Bang in the middle of the rapidly up-and-coming Wapping Wharf area, it’s dedicated to Bristol’s past, present and future – including its role in the slave trade. The glass-fronted café offers photo-worthy views across the waterfront.

Fun and interactive science museum that makes learning feel like play. If you like London’s Science Museum, you’ll love this. Curiously named ‘We the Curious’ (it used to be @Bristol), this harbourside venue is more activity centre than museum. It’s big on interactive exhibits, making it a great choice if you’re looking to do something with kids.

Brunel’s iconic steamship. Ahoy there! From Clifton Suspension Bridge to the city’s main railway station, Bristol Temple Meads, Bristol loves to celebrate the inventions of Isambard Kingdom Brunel. And here’s another one. The SS Great Britain was a maritime miracle of its day, and it remains impressive even in the age of Uber and iPhones. Grrrrr like a west country pirate and jump aboard.