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Museum Details

Old Operating Theatre Museum, London

Image

The Old Operating Theatre Museum
9A St Thomas' Street
London
SE1 9RY
England

Collection details
Architecture
Industry
Medicine
Natural Sciences
Personalities
Science and Technology
Social History

Facilities

Shop: yes
Guided tours: yes
Visual disability facilities: yes
Hearing disability facilities: yes

Contact details
General information (Tel) : 020 7188 2679
General information (Fax) : 020 7378 8383
Museum Staff and enquiries : curator@thegarret.org.uk
Director : kpflude@chr.org.uk
Museum's innovative web site : www.thegarret.org.uk

Open
**Please note, the Museum will be closed for essential restoration from Monday 19th May until Wednesday 4th June 2008 inclusive.**

Open daily, Mon - Sun, from 10.30-17.00. Admission is up a steep, narrow 32 step spiral staircase, in the bell tower of St Thomas' Church

Closed
Closed 15 Dec - 5 Jan inclusive

Admission charges
Adults: £5.45
Concessions: £4.45
Child: £3.00
Family (2 adults up to 4 children): £13.25

Groups are welcome and each pre-booked group (of over 10) will receive a free lecture/introduction to the Museum.

Discounts
International Council of Museums
Museums Association

Description
Hidden in the roof of a church, a 300-year old herb garret houses Britain's only surviving 19th century operating theatre. This museum, one of London's most intriguing historical interiors, contains the Operating Theatre, in use between 1821 and 1862 in the days before
anaesthetic and antiseptic surgery. The Herb Garret, a "delightful experience of oak beams" was used by the apothecary of St Thomas' Hospital to store the herbs used within patient’s medicines.

The museum offers a full education service combined with cutting edge public events, including Victorian Surgery, The Days of Blood, and regular art exhibitions and special guest lecturers.

Collections description
The Museum has a diverse collection of medical, surgical and herbal objects, including amputation sets, bloodletting instruments, pharmaceutical jars, and nursing and obstetric instruments and items.

Key artists and exhibits
The Old Operating Theatre - the oldest operating theatre in Britain and the Herb Garret exbitition.

Articles
MGM 2008 - Walk London's History Or Catch The Museum Bus
MGM 2007 - Big Bank Holiday Museum Events Round-Up
2007 Museums & Heritage Awards For Excellence Announced
News In Brief - Week Ending May 6 2007
Old Operating Theatre Museum Moves Into Church Crypt
An A-Z Of Christmas Gifts From Museums, Galleries And Other Cultural Places

Trails
Monks, Knights, Peasants, Merchants - A Medieval Trail
From Apothecaries To Florence Nightingale - A Medical Museums Trail

Available resources
Public Health in the Victorian Period Guided Walk  Guided tour (Resource)
THE HERB GARRET: Activity Hour programme  Resource or activity pack; Taught session (schools)

General Information
Brochure or leaflet available with directions to museum
Pre-booking service for groups
Foreign language leaflet or brochure available
Guided tours Collections
General guide to collections available
Object identification and/or written enquiry service
Public access available to collections information Disability Access
Braille information and/or interpretation
Induction loops in lecture theatres
Large print information and/or interpretation
Touch exhibits and/or handling sessions Children and Families
Activities for pre-school children
Children's play area
Events and resources for children and families General Education
Academic publications and resources available
Adult lectures and courses held
Education facilities available
Member of staff available with responsibility for education
Teaching/resources available for HE/FE students Schools Education
Direct teaching services for schools
Primary school education service available
Printed/audio-visual information available for schools
Secondary school education service available Facilities
Facilities for private functions and events
Mail order service available
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Information published here was believed to be correct at the time it was prepared. Welsh language pages developed with CYMAL: Museums Archives and Libraries Wales, funded by the Welsh Assembly Government.

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