Medical Museums Past, Present and Future

Abstract

It is tempting, especially for those working in them, to think that the turbulence experienced by medical museums in the past two decades has been unprecedented. However, these fascinating collections have always been subject to change: in ownership, in purpose, in audience. Museums are not static mausolea but are dynamic, vibrant entities that grow, shrink and adapt to shifting circumstances. As our own Hunterian Museum approaches the bicentenary of its opening here in Lincoln's Inn Fields, it seems a good time to reflect on the key historical shifts, to assess where medical museums are now and to suggest where they might go next.