Unusual Museums: Medical History in London

On a recent trip to London my sister and I decided to find a few of London's more unusual museums. We covered the ones below in a day and they provide a really fascinating insight into the history of medicine and healthcare.

1. The Museum of the Order of St John

St John's Gate

This is the Order of St John possibly best known for providing the St John Ambulance. Tucked away north of Smithfield Market, the museum is housed in the gatehouse and attached buildings of the old Priory Church of St John. It charts the history of the Order from their origins in the Middle East during the Crusades through to their present day charity work across the world. It's not a big place but well worth a visit, not just for the history of the Order but for the history of medicine which goes along with it.

Entry: Free
Get there: St John's Lane, Clerkenwell. Nearest Tube is Barbican.

2. The Old Operating Theatre & Herb Garret

The Doctor will see you now...

Tucked away behind massive doors this is a real little gem. Access through the narrow spiral staircase of the old church bell tower means it's not suitable for disabled persons (unfortunately), but if you can make it up the stairs it's well worth the trip. The museum is in the attic space of an old church, formerly attached to St Thomas' Hospital. The attic used to house the herb garret of the hospital, a place where the apothecary could mix up medicines for the hospital patients. It's now full of cabinets of weird medical instruments, pickled organs and other somewhat gruesome things. Fascinating but perhaps not for the weak stomached? Attached to this is the Old Operating Theatre itself. Possibly the oldest purpose built operating theatre in Europe. Make sure to catch a talk there if you have time.

Entry: £6.50
Get there: 9a St Thomas' St, London. Nearest Tube is London Bridge (right round the corner).

3. The Hunterian Museum

If you're not over-fond of preserved things in jars, this is probably not the museum for you, but for anyone with an interest in the history of medicine and pathology, it's brilliant. Parts of the collection date back a few centuries, to the beginnings of medicine as we understand it today and despite the fact that much of the museum is taken up by the aforementioned things in jars, you can get quite a lot out of it. If you feel you need some fresh air afterwards, the lovely park of Lincoln's Inn Fields is quite literally just across the road.

Entry: Free
Get there: Royal College of Surgeons, Lincoln's Inn Fields. Nearest Tube is Holborn.

4. The Science Museum

They might not be as popular as the space and engineering galleries, the Science Museum's human biology galleries should be visited. If you've got small children they're especially good - there's lots of interactive games and such to keep little ones engaged. Plenty of information about genetics and medical technology, plus, if I recall correctly, a whole bunch of glass eyes which creep me out no end.

Entry: Free
Get there: Exhibition Road, South Kensington. Nearest Tube is South Kensington. 

So there you have it: 4 museums you can cover in a day in London, at least three of which I'd count as unusual. Would you suggest another for the list? Why not leave a comment and let me know about an unusual museum near you?