From its famed art and music to groundbreaking industries and technology, over 2,000 years of city history comes to life at this museum.
Discover the story of Bristol, its influence on the world, its people and their creativeness and tenacity at M Shed. Set inside a 1950s dockyard transit shed, M Shed retraces citywide events from the prehistoric era right up to the present day. Browse a collection of 3,000 artifacts, which range from archive movies and newspaper clippings to artwork, dinosaur relics and photographs. See working machinery that highlights the city’s industrial and maritime trade.
In the Bristol Placesgallery you’ll learn about the evolution of the city. See the skeleton of the Thecodontosaurus, understand Bristol’s involvement in World War II, walk on a giant map and admire a display of transport vehicles. Bristol Peoplecelebrates pioneering events such as the creation of the trip hop music genre in the 1990s. Glimpse into the city’s maritime trading past and role in the transatlantic slave trade.
Don’t miss the Window on Bristol, which is a large mural that portrays the city’s major landmarks in the form of a street art-style dinosaur. Another notable piece of artwork is The Grim Reaper by the acclaimed graffiti artist Banksy.
Lining the museum’s waterfront area is a collection of working machines. Watch huge electric cranes and a banana-shaped Fairbairn steam crane in motion. Take a ride on a steam locomotive, the Pyronaut fire-boat and a steam-powered tug boat. In an adjoining shed, the Treasure in Store gallery has thousands of artifacts once exhibited in the former Bristol Industrial Museum.
Find the museum on Prince’s Wharf, in the Bristol Harbourside district. It’s just 20 minutes on foot from Bristol Temple Meads station. Drivers can use the metered car park at nearby Wapping Wharf. Public buses stop a short walk away at Queen Square.
M Shed is open from Tuesday to Sunday and admission is free, although donations are welcome. An on-site café has excellent city and harbor views. A list of temporary exhibitions and a timetable for the crane, boat and train rides is available on the museum’s official website.
