'Largest ever' chocolate button unveiled in homage to Bristol's heritage
It's part of a collection of chocolate pieces, marking important objects that represent the city - and it's thought to be the world's largest chocolate button
Last updated 1st Jun 2023
What's thought to be the largest EVER chocolate button has been unveiled as part of their 'Edible Histories' collection, celebrating Bristol's history.
The original button was part of the uniform at the hospital, with Glenside Hospital Museum paying homage to their heritage through the medium of chocolate - which Bristol is known for having a centuries-old history for itself.
Starting this week, Bristolians will be able to check out the mouth-watering edible sculpture wrapped in gold foil, weighing in at a hefty 18 kilos and took over 100 hours to make - that's the equivalent of three bowling balls, and it's 600 times the size of your standard pack of chocolate buttons too!
Chocolate sweet treats will be available to the first 60 lucky people to step through the museum’s doors mentioning ‘Edible Histories’ to see the choc creation.
It's part of Bristol's 'Edible Histories' collection
It is part of the sweet arts project celebrating Bristol’s inspiring history and culture by local artist Luke Jerram – and backed by Metro Mayor Dan Norris’s West of England Mayoral Combined Authority.
Glenside is one of five local museums and other local attractions to have signed up to ‘Edible Histories’, each donating one object that tells the story of the city.
Replicas, scaling between one and two metres in size, are then being produced in Fairtrade chocolate by Southville's award-winning chocolatiers, Zara's Chocolates.
Metro Mayor Dan Norris said: “'It’s amazing to see this ginormous chocolate button – the biggest ever - in all its glory. From day one, I’ve been as interested in the story behind these chocolate creations.
"There’s a fascinating and often surprising history of mental health care in Bristol – which this chocolate sculpture highlights. This is a brilliant project celebrating the inspiring stories, and culture, that defines this extraordinary city - told through everyone’s favourite sweet substance.”
The button
The actual button from the Museum’s collection is 100 times smaller than the chocolate one on display and represents the thousands of patients who received care at Glenside.
When it was built in 1861, it was a state-of-the-art hospital for people with mental ill health. Back then, these buttons with ‘Bristol’ printed on them would have been stitched onto patients’ lapels to provide them with suitable clothing to work within the hospital.
The button highlights the layers of history of mental health care in Bristol, and how the city was way ahead of its time in how it treated people with mental health issues - with compassion and dignity.
Artist Luke Jerram said: "It's a fascinating object from a really interesting hidden gem of a museum in our city. I'd urge people to go to the Glenside Hospital Museum and explore all the fascinating scientific and medical artifacts they have on display there."
Stella Man from Glenside Hospital Museum said: “The button is one of the smallest in our collection, but visitors will be delighted to find a church full of objects and stories about hospital care.”
It's on display at Glenside on Wednesday mornings 10am-1pm and all day Saturday.
In October, the button, along with the other four objects, will be brought together for the first time as part of a free public event in Bristol city centre.