Bethlem Royal Hospital, Psychiatric hospital in Bromley, England
Bethlem Royal Hospital is a psychiatric facility in the London Borough of Bromley with multiple buildings on a green campus that house specialized mental health care and research facilities. The campus includes wards for different types of treatment as well as a publicly accessible museum and gallery.
Simon Fitzmary founded the institution in 1247 near what is now Liverpool Street Station as a priory. Over the centuries the hospital moved locations several times and became one of the oldest psychiatric facilities in the world.
The Bethlem Gallery collection spans several centuries of patient artwork, showing how creative expression has remained part of care across different treatment eras. The Museum of the Mind displays historical treatment objects that give visitors a direct look at past therapeutic approaches.
The facility operates both inpatient and outpatient treatment units with specialized areas for different psychiatric conditions under the National Health Service administration. The museum grounds are open to the public and offer insight into the history of psychiatric care.
The word bedlam, now meaning chaos or confusion, comes from the historical name of this hospital. The linguistic evolution reflects past public perception of psychiatric institutions.
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