About Glore Psychiatric Museum
The Glore Psychiatric Museum occupies a former surgical and outpatient building of the St. Joseph State Hospital. Its galleries trace the hospital’s long history alongside the broader evolution of mental health treatment. What began as a collection assembled by hospital worker George Glore grew into one of the most unusual medical museums in the country.
Visitors encounter replicas and original treatment equipment, archival photographs, patient-made objects, and explanations of therapies once considered standard. Some displays are unsettling, including a large treadmill that reflects outdated ideas about care. The museum also documents changing attitudes toward people with mental illness, giving the artifacts historical context rather than treating them as curiosities alone.
Admission to the St. Joseph Museum complex includes several additional galleries, among them local history and the Black Archives Museum. The complex is generally open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with holiday exceptions. Adult admission is $12, with reduced rates for seniors, students, and younger children. Allow time to read the interpretive material behind the striking objects.