Public Hospital Museum
Public Hospital Museum
4.5
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The first mental institution in North America.
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4.5
506 reviews
Excellent
274
Very good
166
Average
51
Poor
9
Terrible
6
Jeffery W
Raleigh, NC443 contributions
Dec 2019
The Public Hospital exhibit is both interesting and extremely well done. The museum is downstairs and is extensive covering everything from folk art to furniture of the period. There is a cafe located in the museum and is a great place to get out of the weather when its cold and raining (when we were there) or to escape the summer heat. Basically the museum has something for eveyone's interests - even the little ones.
Written 20 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MissLoraLane
Washington, PA589 contributions
Sept 2022 • Friends
Unfortunately this attraction is closed as of September 2022, however you can walk around the outside of the building. It was the only hospital during colonial times and it was a mental asylum. But the grounds are flat and picturesque. And you could take a nice picture in front of the hospital but that’s about all you could do for this attraction.
Written 6 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
bwco
New Jersey1,746 contributions
My wife and I visited this when we were at Colonial Williamsburg. To tour this is to appreciate the history of the the treatment of mental illness. When you walk in there are displays showing how the evolution of the treatment of mental illness. It was easy to be taken back by the primitive cell like conditions that people were treated in in the 18th century. As you walk through the exhibits, and it only takes about 10 minutes, you realize how far we have come in this field.
Written 13 December 2007
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
CFS16
Fort Lee, NJ241 contributions
Mar 2014 • Couples
The public hospital museum is very small. Although incredibly thought provoking and very sad to think that people were treated this way. There is a few items that were disovered during the archealogical dig and many of the items are reproduced but still really interesting. The "cell" where a patient would have been housed is truly sad...and gives you a taste of how far we have come in this field.
Written 24 March 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
KarenMc529
Exeter, RI1 contribution
July 2012 • Family
My family and I who was visiting Williamsburg thought that it would be very cool to tour the Public Hospital. Very disappointing there are a total of 3 rooms to visit, the rest of the hospital consists of two different art museums which we were not interested in however you have to buy a ticket to visit all 3. Needless to say after spending $30 to visit 3 tiny rooms of this hospital we were all very disappointed and would not recommend this to anyone.
Written 13 July 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
CynthiafromOhio2011
Cleveland, OH337 contributions
Dec 2011
Worth visiting as part of Colonial Williamsburg; this relatively small museums vividly depicts the changes in the treatment of the mentally ill over time. Although judged by today's standards, the practices were barbaric; however, this was the best treatment available at the time.
Facinating exhibit; not large, but very worthwhile.
Facinating exhibit; not large, but very worthwhile.
Written 6 December 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
WorldlyExplorer
2 contributions
This may have been a small exhibit, but its meaning to America is huge. This was a very great exhibit, DONT GET ME WRONG: IT WAS SAD, but still a wonderful museum. I recommend to read about each "artifact" because they are interesting. This exhibit includes:
The "cell" and chains the patients were put in, Electric chair, cages
they placed them in, instruments, MUCH MORE! Kind of freaky because of how they treated these patients, like they were in jail. Knowing that this building was burnted twice, it may be haunted, WHO KNOWS? Not scary, but mostly sad and sent shivers down my arm. ALSO, GO DOWN TO THE BASEMENT OF MUSEUM AND YOU WILL FIND A WONDERFUL ARTIFACTS MUSEUM. ***In all, the Hospital Museum AND Artifacts Museum took us about 1 hour, 45mins. GREAT EXPERIENCE!!
The "cell" and chains the patients were put in, Electric chair, cages
they placed them in, instruments, MUCH MORE! Kind of freaky because of how they treated these patients, like they were in jail. Knowing that this building was burnted twice, it may be haunted, WHO KNOWS? Not scary, but mostly sad and sent shivers down my arm. ALSO, GO DOWN TO THE BASEMENT OF MUSEUM AND YOU WILL FIND A WONDERFUL ARTIFACTS MUSEUM. ***In all, the Hospital Museum AND Artifacts Museum took us about 1 hour, 45mins. GREAT EXPERIENCE!!
Written 2 June 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
divermom3
Fox Chapel, PA245 contributions
Dec 2014 • Family
This exhibit is just outside the main Colonial Williamsburg area. It haas two patient rooms, one as it would have appeared in the 1770s and one as it would have appeared in the 1800s after "moral treatment" had been introduced. There was another area which had a timeline for early psychiatric institutional treatment. You could see the chains of the 1770s, later straightjackets and a phrenology head. I purchased a small book which had more details about early psychiatric institutions.
Written 28 December 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mepreckel
Safety Harbor, FL114 contributions
Oct 2014 • Couples
Part of Colonial Williamsburg
That really about covers it - creepy with the voices running on a recording as you look into the rooms. Chains coming out of the walls and odd institutional ... restraints? I cringed as I saw children coming through, there should really be a sign that it's pretty scary stuff.
That really about covers it - creepy with the voices running on a recording as you look into the rooms. Chains coming out of the walls and odd institutional ... restraints? I cringed as I saw children coming through, there should really be a sign that it's pretty scary stuff.
Written 3 October 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
0415_wanderlust
St. Johns, FL226 contributions
Aug 2014 • Family
The Public Hospital Museum is in a building that also holds an art museum. While each on their own may not be exciting for everybody, they both hold some interesting experiences and are worth a stop. The hospital part offers a glimpse into what health care was like in that time. Some parts are hard to think about others experiencing, but it is the reality. The rest of the building holds some interesting bits of history and a cafe to take a break and enjoy a beverage.
Written 21 August 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Is this attraction open now?
Written 2 April 2021
Is this located in one of the art museums that are next to colonial Williamsburg or is it a separate building? If separate, where is it? Can you get tickets just for the hospital museum or have to buy Colonial Williamsburg ticket?
Written 9 July 2020
It’s in the same building as the art museum, and yes it’s part of Colonial Williamsburg. I don’t know if there is a separate ticket, but the hospital exhibit is small and probably doesn’t rate one.
Written 13 July 2020
what are the times for the museum to open on Saturday and the cost?
Written 24 March 2016
Hi... Cost for going into the Hospital is included in your Colonial Williamsburg ticket and hours are the same as well. FYI...the Hospital is a short visit, but it also the entrance to the Decorative Art Museum that you could spend most of the day in. It has a cafeteria, but crossing the street to downtown Williamsburg would give you more choices. The Hospital/Museum is a designated stop on the Colonial Williamsburg free shuttle service with admission. Have a wonderful trip!
Written 25 March 2016
Is it possible to Walk around Alone? Not with a Tour, just Alone with family
Written 22 June 2015
Yes you can walk around alone. It an atraction you do on your own time. We bought a 2-day pass cause there is so much too see. Some of the buildings are guided tours and you do have to have the pass.
Written 25 March 2016
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