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Glore Psychiatric Museum

Could you swallow a nail? How about 453 of them? One patient in St. Joseph’s State Lunatic Asylum No. 2, established 1874, did just that. This collection is one of many intriguing exhibits that earned the Glore Psychiatric Museum recognition as “One of the 50 most unusual museums in the country” and mentions in national publications and on television networks including The Learning Channel, The Discovery Channel, PBS, and The Science Channel.​​

The award winning Glore Psychiatric Museum is the largest of its kind in the world, and a community treasure in St. Joseph. MO. On your exploration of the museum you will see historic treatments, sustainability practices, patient art work, therapy options and so much more! The museum chronicles not only the history of State Hospital #2 but also the history of treatment for the mentally ill and is located in the former surgery and out patient building of the hospital. 

The original ‘State Lunatic Asylum No. 2’ opened in November 1874 with 250 patients on land located east of the City of St. Joseph. In 1968, George Glore, an employee of the St. Joseph State Hospital, helped construct a series of full-size replicas of primitive 17th, 18th, and 19th century treatment devices for a Mental Health Awareness Week open house. Those exhibits impressed the hospital officials and sparked the idea to create the Glore Psychiatric Museum. Today, George’s treatment device replicas remain an integral part of the museum’s exhibits.

Now Open at the Glore Psychiatric Museum: The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum Photography Exhibit by Gregory George. On display through May 2026

Step into the haunting beauty of the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum—once the largest hand-cut stone building in North America and a symbol of shifting mental health care. Through Gregory George’s lens, its decaying grandeur becomes a canvas for empathy, resilience, and reflection.

Gregg's journey into photography began as a lifeline. After losing his father at a young age and facing hardship at home, he discovered his dad’s old cameras tucked away in a closet. Nature became his refuge, and photography his voice. Over time, his work evolved to include people and places marked by struggle and strength—each image a moment captured perfectly.

Prints available in the gift shop. For information about purchasing his works, contact Gregory at grg.photography@yahoo.com

American Alliance of Museums

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3406 Frederick Ave. St. Joseph, MO, United States - 816-232-8471

American Alliance of Museums
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