Traditional bridges with isolation bearings have the problem of residual displacement of the isolator and the response of internal pier force during the impact of an strong earthquake or near-fault earthquake. This research suggests a variable-stiffness friction pendulum bearing based on a gravity-well surface, gaining inspiration from the facility for gravity-well surfaces in the science museum. Its surface is comprised of a gravity-well surface outside and a sphere inside. First, the theoretical derivation-based restoring force model in the horizontal shear direction is revealed. Second, a footprint variable stiffness friction pendulum bearing specimen is designed, constructed, and put through a cyclic shear test to further examine its mechanical and hysteresis characteristics. The friction material is a modified ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene with better compression resistance. In the end, numerical simulations are used to compare the dynamic properties of the gravity well friction pendulum bearing with the spherical bearing. The sliding surface of the variable stiffness double friction pendulum bearing is asymmetrical. The high local stress on the friction pad can be accommodated by the modified ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) friction material. The gravity-well friction pendulum bearing can also significantly reduce the internal force demand under the action of ground motion when compared to the conventional spherical double friction pendulum bearing, and it has the same superior self-reset performance as the small-radius spherical friction pendulum bearing.