Description: The first museum on this tour is not for the very squeamish! Held within the Royal College of Surgeons, the Hunterian Museum displays the history of surgery and medicine, and includes the private collections of several eminent surgeons and doctors. Quite possibly the strangest museum in London, visitors are greeted by the oddly beautiful sight of thousands of jars in shimmering cases containing a huge range of strange specimens. The museum also houses historic surgical instruments, and famous anatomical artefacts such as the skeleton of Charles Byrne, the so-called “Irish Giant”. Other highlights of the sometimes-macabre collection include Sir Tomes’ collection of human and animal skulls which formed part of his study of dental development in different species, teeth collected from soldiers at the Battle of Waterloo, and a denture that belonged to Sir Winston Churchill. Even for the non-scientifically minded like myself, this museum is certainly worth a visit. The collection is bizarre and at times gruesome, but completely fascinating. A visit to the Hunterian Museum is a walk through the history of scientific discovery, which will make you extremely grateful for the advances in medical science and surgery that we benefit from today! Entry to the museum is free.

Description: The next stop on this scientific walking tour is the Grant Museum of Zoology, which is part of the world-famous University College London. The museum was opened in 1828 and does not seem to have changed much since then. The enormous collection of around 68,000 specimens is an amazing sight for anyone interested in the animal kingdom, and visitors have the rare privilege of being able to see long-extinct creatures such as the Tasmanian Tiger, the Quagga and the legendary Dodo. Other unusual but fascinating sights include a collection of preserved brains, which displays the differences between the brains of different mammals and reptiles, and a stunning collection of glass anatomical models of various invertebrates, made by Czech jewellers in the 19th century. The museum also holds the collections of many other London universities whose museums are now closed, and as such represents several hundred years of zoological research in London. Entry to the Grant Museum of Zoology is free.

Description: The final museum on this tour is the impressive Wellcome Collection which explores the connections between science and art. This brilliantly designed, modern museum, is the perfect way to finish a scientific tour of Bloomsbury. It always has interesting temporary exhibitions which are definitely worth visiting, even if you are not familiar with the subject. The two permanent exhibitions, Medicine Man and Medicine Now, are comprised of the medical antiques of Sir Henry Wellcome and innovative modern displays including art, mixed media and objects that represent modern medicine. The collection also includes works of art by world-renowned artists such as Pablo Picasso and Anthony Gormley. The brilliance of this museum comes from its imaginative methods of displaying scientific objects and discoveries. For example, the first printout of human DNA is interestingly represented as a series of books. The Wellcome Collection also has a pleasant café, which is the perfect place to take a well-earned break after a day of scientific discovery. Entry to the Wellcome Collection is free.

Sunday: 11:00 - 18:00
Tuesday: 10:00 - 18:00
Wednesday: 10:00 - 18:00
Thursday: 10:00 - 22:00
Friday: 10:00 - 18:00
Saturday: 10:00 - 18:00