The excellent Thackray Museum of Medicine (formerly the Thackray Medical Museum) in Leeds has interesting displays focusing on the history of medicine. The museum is housed in the former Leeds Union Workhouse, which was built in 1858 and has been primarily a medical facility for the poor before becoming the East Leeds War Hospital during the First World War.
![Thackray Medical Museum in Leeds, West Yorkshire (Photo: Tom Parnell [CC BY-SA 2.0])](https://englandrover.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/thackray-medical-museum-leeds-1280x853.jpg)
What to see at the Thackray Museum of Medicine
The museum re-opened in 2021 after an extensive refurbishment and now has 11 permanent galleries charting the history of medicine from the Victorian period to the modern day.
The museum is well laid out with exhibits that include Disease Street, a replica of a street in a slum in Victorian Leeds; a recreated Victorian-era operating theatre from the pre-anaesthetic era; a gallery with displays about advances in public health during the Victorian era and a gallery that highlights the different medical professionals that care for us from the cradle to the grave.
There are also galleries that explain how advances in our understanding of disease have transformed medicine in the 20th and 21st centuries and a gallery highlighting the medical response to crisises such as natural disaster, pandemics and war.
Temporary exhibitions at the Thackray Museum of Medicine
The museum also hosts a programme of temporary exhibitions. Current and planned exhibitions include:
Fragile Microbiomes
The Fragile Microbiomes exhibition (until 23 June 2024) delves into our interaction with the intricate ecosystem of microbes surrounding and within us. Featuring sculptures and installations incorporating bacteria, DNA, modified vintage objects, 3D printing, textiles, video and digital technologies, British artist Anna Dumitriu, a pioneer in BioArt, explores infectious diseases, microbiology and antibiotics. Collaborating with microbiologist Dr Jane Freeman from the University of Leeds, Dumitriu unveils new works in this exhibition, presenting a hands-on approach that merges art and biology through a global network of scientific partnerships. Opening hours for this exhibition are restricted (Mon–Fri 11am–3pm, Sat–Sun 10am–3pm) due to the fragile nature of the exhibits.
Dressing Disability
The Dressing Disability exhibition (until 26 October 2024) highlights how fashion is a means of self-expression and individuality for people with a disability. The exhibition delves into accessible clothing design, the incorporation of disability aids into personal style, and the engagement of disabled individuals in the fashion realm. This exhibition seeks to challenge perceptions and underscore the empowering role of fashion for everyone.
Visiting the Thackray Museum of Medicine
The museum is near St James University Hospital, which is around 2.4km (1.5 miles) north of central Leeds and you can walk into the city centre in around 30 minutes.
Entry is a relatively pricey £11.95 but tickets are valid for 12 months and you can revisit for no additional charge during this period. Admission is also free if you have a valid National Art Pass.
If you enjoyed your visit to the Thackray Museum of Medicine, you may also want to visit the Florence Nightingale Museum, the Alexander Fleming Laboratory Museum, the Old Operating Theatre, the Royal London Hospital Museum and the Wellcome Collection (all in London).
You should allow around 2–3 hours to visit this museum.
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