Who founded Arkham Asylum in the Arkham series lore?

Amadeus Arkham founded Arkham Asylum in the series’ lore.

The institution’s original name was Arkham Hospital, and Amadeus established it to treat mentally ill patients. It was named for his mother, Elizabeth Arkham, whose long struggle with mental illness deeply shaped his plans. In later accounts, the family estate was remodeled into the asylum.

Amadeus’s history became increasingly tragic. His wife and daughter were murdered by the serial killer Martin “Mad Dog” Hawkins, one of the asylum’s early patients. Amadeus eventually killed Hawkins during an electroshock treatment and later deteriorated psychologically, ultimately becoming a patient in the institution he founded.

The Arkham games explore this history through hidden Arkham Chronicles scattered around the island. Players can uncover Amadeus’s story and the asylum’s sinister origins. Jeremiah Arkham is Amadeus’s nephew and a later administrator, while Quincy Sharp is the warden in the game and wrongly believes himself to be Amadeus’s reincarnation. Neither founded the asylum.