Listed on the National and State Registers of Historic Places, the landmark Medfield State Hospital (MSH) offers an inspiring legacy of innovation and healing. Opened in 1896, the hospital was the first of its kind built using the cottage-style plan designed to maximize daylight, fresh air, exercise and socialization for residents. Creative thinkers at the time influenced the design of this campus to support health and wellness, achieving significant impact for more than a century. The Commonwealth closed MSH in 2003 and the Town of Medfield purchased the site in 2014. After four years and extensive public input, a master plan was completed in 2018, and in 2020 the Bellforge Arts Center secured a 99-year lease with the town on two signature buildings at the core of the campus.

Now a groundbreaking legacy of healing and wellness inspires a new era of inclusion, interaction and innovation with an extraordinary opportunity to reimagine this novel setting as an experiential place to make and enjoy art and to engage with each other and the land. Today, this historic campus is ready to be transformed for the next generation of families who seek to fulfill their need for the arts, outdoor activity, reflection, and learning.

In a unique and expansive setting inviting exploration, engagement and discovery, the Bellforge Arts Center will not only offer arts excellence and enjoyment; it will capitalize on a rich legacy of healing arts, renovate historic structures, activate outdoor spaces, attract tourism, support local businesses and propel creative responses to the challenges of our times.

At Bellforge, we strive to create a multi-arts and outdoor recreation destination that will: