Tayside Medical History Museum

May & Baker drug samples kit hypodermic needles pharmacy bottles Sir Andrew Clark's examination mirrors

items from the medical collections

Based at Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, the Medical History Collections are among the finest in Scotland, and include material from Dundee Royal Infirmary, Royal Dundee Liff Hospital and Sunnyside Hospital near Montrose.

Click on the links to find out more about our Exhibitions and Collections. You can also read about some of Tayside's many medical pioneers.

scotlandandmedicinelogo

We are a partner in the Scotland & Medicine project (nominated for the Gulbenkian Prize 2007) and a member of the UK Medical Collections Group.

Discovery Point Sick Bay

The original Sick Bay on the RRS Discovery has recently been opened up to the public and includes various medical artefacts on loan from the Tayside Medical History Museum. The new display also includes a replica figure of Reginald Koettlitz, the ship's surgeon. The Discovery Expedition saw the first ever surgical operation in Antarctica when Lieutenant Royds underwent the removal of a cyst on his face.

To find out more visit the Discovery Point website.

opening of Blairgowrie Community Hospital display

Blairgowrie & Rattray Display

In May 2010 we opened our second satellite display at Blairgowrie Community Hospital. Exploring the history of medical care in Blairgowrie and Rattray, much of the work on the display was done by museum volunteer Dr Jim McKellican, a native of Blairgowrie. Jim has also written a booklet on the history of Blairgowrie and Strathmore Hospitals which is available from Blairgowrie Community Hospital or the Tayside Medical History Museum.

Aberfeldy Centenary Display

As part of our remit to reflect medical history throughout Tayside, in September 2009 we opened our first satellite display at Aberfeldy Community Hospital. Officially opened to mark the centenary of the hospital, the display features artefacts used in the hospital over the past 100 years along with photos of well-known staff such as Dr Swanson, Dr Yellowlees and Matron Cameron. The display can be seen in the hospital foyer area during normal opening hours.

Visit by the Health Secretary

Nicola Sturgeon at the Medical History Museum

In 2008 Nicola Sturgeon MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Health & Wellbeing, visited the Medical History Museum as part of a tour of Ninewells Hospital. Medical curator Dr Graham Lowe was on hand to show her some of the permanent displays and the Medical Impressions exhibition.

Medical History Leaflet

As part of the Scotland & Medicine project we have helped to create a new leaflet on the medical history of Fife and Tayside.

The leaflet lists all of the important medical museum and archive collections in the area and describes some of the many significant medical discoveries and personalities that originated here.