M Shed, Independent museum on Prince's Wharf, Bristol, England.
M Shed is an independent museum housed in a former dockside shed along the Floating Harbour, displaying artifacts, photographs, and interactive installations exploring Bristol's places, people, and daily life. The collection encompasses around 3,000 objects that record maritime trade, industrial growth, and social change.
The building was originally a storage shed at the docks and opened as a museum in 2011 to preserve Bristol's maritime and industrial past. Its conversion reflects how the harbour and city transformed from the 20th century onward.
The museum explores Bristol's significance through exhibitions covering local art, transportation, and community experiences that continue to shape the city today. The stories of inhabitants and their connection to dock work inform how visitors understand modern Bristol.
The museum sits directly along the harbour area and is easy to reach on foot, with free entry for all visitors. The surrounding area is stroller-friendly and the building is accessible at ground level.
Four electric cargo cranes from 1951 stand outside the museum and document the port's engineering heritage. Three of these remain operational and are demonstrated on selected weekends.
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