Families

We love welcoming families to the museum.

Little M Shed
Enjoy some playtime with your pre-schooler. We’ve got dressing-up clothes, books to share, a pretend shop and a transport table with lots of trains and vehicles.

Bristol 650 Trail
To celebrate 650 years of Bristol history, pick up this special edition trail. It all begins with a very important royal charter from 1373….

ABC Trail
Pick up an ABC Trail from the front desk to start exploring M Shed!

Ride the working exhibits
Keep an eye on what’s on to find out when the next trips are – there’s trains, boats and of course the famous cranes to ride! A fabulous way to spend a day with the family.

Bus closure – due to damage, M Shed’s green bus is currently closed. We’re reviewing how we provide access for visitors to experience this unique object. 

M Shed is autism-friendly

Visiting a museum with an autistic child can be a stressful experience. Here at M Shed we’re doing everything we can to make the experience fun, engaging and stress-free. We’ve worked with Bristol Autism Support to make your visit everything it should be:

  • Our staff have been trained in autism awareness. We understand the difficulties you may face and are there to support you.
  • You can download our free visual guide to M Shed (PDF), to help you and your child plan your visit in advance.
  • Please give us a call on 0117 352 6600 before your visit so we can discuss your needs and advise when the museum is likely to be quieter.
  • You can borrow a free ‘Little Bag of Calm’ from reception. These contain ear-defenders, fiddle-toys and visual prompts.

If you have any questions or think we could do more to help support your child, please contact us.

With thanks to Bristol Autism Support for all of their advice, training and generosity.