diff --git a/src/instance.rs b/src/instance.rs
index 4dffe67f9b2..6e55501f229 100644
--- a/src/instance.rs
+++ b/src/instance.rs
@@ -98,7 +98,13 @@ impl<'py> Bound<'py, PyAny> {
 
 impl<'py, T> Bound<'py, T> {
     /// Helper to cast to Bound<'py, PyAny>
-    pub(crate) fn as_any(&self) -> &Bound<'py, PyAny> {
+    pub fn as_any(&self) -> &Bound<'py, PyAny> {
+        // Safety: all Bound<T> have the same memory layout, and all Bound<T> are valid Bound<PyAny>
+        unsafe { std::mem::transmute(self) }
+    }
+
+    /// Helper to cast to Bound<'py, PyAny>
+    pub fn into_any(self) -> Bound<'py, PyAny> {
         // Safety: all Bound<T> have the same memory layout, and all Bound<T> are valid Bound<PyAny>
         unsafe { std::mem::transmute(self) }
     }
@@ -1724,6 +1730,24 @@ a = A()
         });
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn test_bound_as_any() {
+        Python::with_gil(|py| {
+            let obj = PyString::new_bound(py, "hello world");
+            let any = obj.as_any();
+            assert_eq!(any.as_ptr(), obj.as_ptr());
+        });
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_bound_into_any() {
+        Python::with_gil(|py| {
+            let obj = PyString::new_bound(py, "hello world");
+            let any = obj.clone().into_any();
+            assert_eq!(any.as_ptr(), obj.as_ptr());
+        });
+    }
+
     #[cfg(feature = "macros")]
     mod using_macros {
         use crate::PyCell;