Museum of Mental Health, England

Wakefield's Museum of Mental Health has a padded cell from the West Riding Pauper Lunatic Asylum © juliez_pics

Feeling jittery? It’s probably best to avoid the Museum of Mental Health in Wakefield then.

Complete with restraining equipment, padded cells and surgical tools, this crazy (and I mean crazy) museum is a graphic representation of what went on at the West Riding Pauper Lunatic Asylum.

That notorious institution gave its name to Kasabian’s 2009 album. Built in 1818, the 1,469 inmates were subject to some seriously misguided treatments back in the day.

Nowadays, visitors can look at photographs dating back as far as the 1860s, sit in a real padded cell and listen to talks on the history and horrors that went on inside.

The museum is open every Wednesday. Visitors are recommended to contact the curator before going.

Written by - Edited by Charlotte Amelines - Photo by juliez_pics

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