Home to £134 million worth of art, with almost 90% of it tucked away in storage. Come and see the 11% that made the cut!
From flora and fauna native to the area, and former colonies to rocks and minerals and dinosaur bones to the "should this really be in here?" Egyptian section... flow into the Banksy Vs Bristol Museum exhibition in 2009 that saw over 300,000 visitors in 11 weeks - a number that the staff could only normally dream of. Today you'll find Paint Pot Angel next to the museum shop, a gift from Banksy and an echo back to the critically acclaimed, hilarious and thought-provoking exhibition.
Bus 41 - Bristol's Scenic Route
£2.40 - for half the price of a Clifton coffee, or free with a bus pass.
After 11 one star reviews on TripAdvisor, Bristol's open top bus tour quietly exited the market. For those looking for this kind of thing we have an alternative for you. Toot toot, look out it's bus 41. Not the 43, the forty one starting in the ex King's hunting wood, Kingswood with its rich coal mining heritage. Bristol's most scenic bus ride will take you through St George, to the city centre, past St Mary on the Quay church and Hippodrome, along the floating harbour for views of the Big Ship Great Britain, under the Suspension Bridge and along the Portway for views of the Avon all the way through Shirehampton to Avonmouth. The journey is just shy of 1.5 hours. Take the train back to town after.
M Shed
Bristol's social history mashup
From glass beads to wedding dresses, WW2 air raid shelters to wooden carvings of forgotten kings, hot air balloons and Bristol's famous green bus, reminding us of the 1963 Bristol bus boycott - M Shed is a mashup of Bristol's social history. Expect artifacts from the slave trade, placards from BLM protests, and even the Banksy 'Grim Reaper' cut off the side of Thekla for good measure.
The gift shop, with an array of books focusing on Bristol, is also an excellent resource for those wishing to dig even deeper.
Underfall Yard
Victorian engineering marvel with a red brick chimney like a middle finger
With its red brick chimney sticking up like a middle finger, the Underfall Yard's imposing presence toward the bottom of the harbor is well worth a look. If the harbor was a toilet (which it isn't) the Underfall Yard would be the flush - its powerful sluice gates clearing out the muck and silt from the harbor. Today the museum is well worth the visit, marvel at the Victorian engineering that made this all possible and find out more from the friendly staff. You may also get a glimpse of the impressive steam engine as well.
The Underfall Yard museum also has a cracking cafe. Lovely little cafe and the building is housed within the only remnants of Bristol's once world leading boat building. Look out for charred beams - evidence of a devastating arson attack in 2023 that left the area reeling. The fire caused £2.6 million in damage and destroyed several historic workshops and boats. Really tragic what happened to such an important piece of Bristol's maritime heritage.
Nearby is the Pump House, not for the cost conscious, or the Nova Scotia for those looking for a slice of real Bristol.
Brandon Hill and Cabot Tower
Where Elizabeth I declared Bristol "The Kindliest and Godliest city"
Thanks to the washer women of Brandon Hill, Elizabeth the First declared Bristol "The Kindliest and Godliest city" after they laundered her clothes to such a high standard. You won't find any detergent or mangles in this wonderful nature reserve today. But you will find an array of flora and fauna and Bristol's second highest accessible point - Cabot Tower. Built in 1897 to mark the anniversary of one of Bristol's most famous sons John Cabot (Italian (Genoese) Giovanni Caboto) setting sail 400 years previously to "discover" America. You can climb its steps today for panoramic views over the city. Closes at dusk so perfect for the cooler evenings or for a romantic treat, or for students to have a scenic spliff after lectures.