The 50-Year Evolution of the William P. Didusch Museum of the American Urological Association

Abstract

ObjectivesTo explore the history and evolution of the William P. Didusch Museum. MethodsWe reviewed the literature and personal accounts regarding the founding of the museum and changes to the museum over its history. ResultsWilliam P. Didusch was a world-renowned medical artist and was the staff artist for the Brady Urological Institute under Hugh Hampton Young. The William P. Didusch Museum was founded in 1971 and comprised the collection of Didusch’s drawings and instruments, which were housed at the AUA headquarters. In 1972 Didusch became the museum’s first curator.At the time of Didusch’s death, the AUA purchased a new building and began extensive renovations. In 1987, Dr. William W. Scott, the museum’s third curator, catalogued the items housed in the museum prior to it being reopened in 1989. Dr. Rainer Engel took over as curator in 1993 and supervised renovations to the exhibit area. In 2003 the museum moved to the new AUA Headquarters in Linthicum, Maryland and the central exhibit on the history of the cystoscope was finalized. Under Dr. Ronald Rabinowitz as Historian, the museum history committee and leadership was restructured and included a website with a virtual museum tour, links to history exhibits and a newsletter. ConclusionThe William P. Didusch Center for Urologic History continues to evolve in pursuit of its mission to document, preserve, and present the history of urology and to educate and engage the medical community and the public.