M Shed’s ancestor was the much-loved Bristol Industrial Museum which was open from 1974 – 2006.

For 32 years the Industrial Museum was the key attraction on Bristol’s harbourside. Over 150,000 visitors a year came to learn about the industrial and maritime history of the city.

M Shed is an exciting and innovative museum, telling the story of our city and changing perceptions of what it has meant to live here over the centuries.

The M Shed explores the city’s history from prehistoric times to the 21st century. Stories about the city and its people have been discovered through working with experts and communities across the city – a process that will continue for the life of the museum. Rich collections of objects, art and archives also play an important part in bringing stories to life.

There are working exhibits on the harbourside including steamboats, trains and cranes as well as a café that opens out onto a public square on the dockside.

Visitors will find a lively contemporary museum, free to the public, full of fascinating collections and stories:

• Explore over 2000 years of Bristol’s history
    
• Access over 150 restored and digitalised films
    
• Uncover Bristol’s trading past and its role in the Transatlantic Slave Trade
    
• Explore the city’s war-time experiences, industrial heritage and engineering history
    
• Discover things made in Bristol from its music and art to industry and technology
    
• See over 3000 objects from the city’s museum and archive collections including favourites from the Industrial Museum
    
• Enjoy a programme of local, national and international exhibitions.

M Shed is a new kind of museum, one that challenges traditional ideas. It works with the people of Bristol to create displays which everyone will want to come and see. It's like a living museum, where the stories of the past spark discussions about the future.

www.mshed.org