Why it was needed

University of Birmingham Medical School posses over 4,000 historic medical instruments that are currently in storage. This is a shame, firstly, because they were donated by many different private individuals in the hope that they would be exhibited, but more importantly, because these instruments are potentially of great educational and general interest, to both medical students and the general public.

A group of student volunteers will set up a museum based upon these existing instruments and new acquisitions in space that has been set aside for this purpose in the medical school. When the work is finished GCSE history of medicine students would be able to visit the collection to supplement their school teaching and stimulate further interest. In addition, we aim to have some space for exhibiting the work of medical researchers from across Birmingham, preserving the city's history.

What's being done

The volunteers will sort through existing articles and choose which to exhibit and how to arrange them. Research into the objects on display will be required in order to make labels accurate and informative. Furthermore, volunteers would learn about the history of medicine and medical instruments in particular, research skills and the experience of creating a musuem (which msot people have not done before!!).

How it started

We hope to make an educational and informative display, making use of currently underused space within the medical school and displaying some interesting medical instruments.

More

Initially we visited an existing medical museum in Worcester, in order to get some ideas as to the best way to arrange and display our medical instruments.