BBC Focus

OCTOBER 2016

03

EXPLORE

BEDLAM

Bedlam has longbeen a synonymformadness

andchaos.Butrewindtothe15thCenturyand

the word was originallyused as a nickname

for theBethlem RoyalHospital,probably

theworld’s oldest,andmostfamous,

psychiatric institution.

Anewexhibition at theWellcome

Collection tellsthestoryofthis asylum,

exploringhow itshistory reflects changing

attitudes to mentalhealthandpsychiatry over

thecenturies.Morethan 150 objects and

archivalmaterialswill beonshow, including

artworkfrom patients and worksby

contemporary artists.

Theexhibition also takes alookat the

ever-expanding range oftreatments and

therapies on offer to patients in themodern

world.Asylums are nowlargely consignedto

history,but what can welearnfrom them, and

how can we improve places ofsanctuary and

carefor those indistress today?

04

CELEBRATE WORLD

SPACE WEEK

BEDLAM:THE ASYLUM

AND BEYOND

WELLCOMECOLLECTION,LONDON,

15 SEPT 2016 – 15 JAN 2017

WELLCOMECOLLECTION.ORG/BEDLAM

With Tim Peake safely

back on Earth and the

ExoMars mission about

to reach its destination

(see p22), it couldn’t be a

better time to celebrate

all things cosmic. World

Space Week takes place

every year in October,

and the National Space

Centre is marking

the occasion with a

special day of activities.

There will be the

opportunity to peer at

the Sun through a

special telescope, as

well as exciting

planetarium

screenings, a satellite-

building workshop and

a Q&A session.

Meanwhile, visitors

can treat themselves to

an evening ticket for

late access to t he

galleries, plus a series

of expert talks,

stargazing (weather

permitting!), and a

screening of classic

space film Apollo 13.

WORLD SPACE DAY
NATIONAL SPACE CENTRE,
LEICESTER, 1 OCTOBER
SPACECENTRE.CO.UK
PHOTOS: ANUP DEODHAR/RPS, EVA KOTATKORA, NATIONAL SPACE CENTRE