This past weekend I eagerly made my way to the Natural History Museum of London. I set off an hour before opening, grabbed coffee and a healthy breakfast at a cafe on the way, and had a pleasant 40 minute walk to the museum, arriving just after doors opened and thus avoiding the crowds.
Ha, JK. I overslept, lingered over a pastry, and, distracted by the unusually sunny weather and lure of just-sprouting flowers, I ended up wandering around the majority of Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens for about two hours. Then I headed towards the Natural History Museum, where I again got distracted - this time by a horde of schoolchildren being led into a doorway next door to the Natural History Museum. It was labeled “Science Museum.” It hadn’t shown up on Google Maps.
You can’t just call a museum “The Science Museum,” right? Somehow that seems way to colloquial. Not specific enough. I was very curious about this possibly sketch museum. I wandered inside and quickly discovered 1) there was no entrance fee and 2) there was an exhibit featuring items from the Wellcome Collection, another museum on my list. I decided to stick around.
Turns out, it’s a vague name because the museum really does just cover…science. The ground floor is impressive and exciting, sure to drag you in - Energy Hall features full-size models of a steam turbine and a ton of very old engines that I couldn’t identify but actually made me feel momentarily interested in steam. Past that, you’ll find a room filled with airplanes, cars, train cars, satellites, and rockets. Both levels 1 and -1 have special discovery areas for young children (i resisted from partaking). There is also a temporary exhibit on codebreaking and ciphers on the bottom floor. Level 2 features the history of clocking making, the evolution of the city of London, and 200 years of artifacts of “the information age.” Finally, Level 3 features a flight simulator, virtual reality space experience, and the Wonderlab, which sounds like a place I would like to live.
Despite the long list of cool things to look at, I focused all of my energy on the new permanent exhibit on level 1, “Medicine: The Wellcome Galleries.” There were three thousand items from the famous Wellcome Collection spread across this floor to tell the history of medicine, covering such topics as the evolution of the hospital, breaking medical technologies, history of the study of anatomy, faith and healing, vaccinations, pharmacopeia, and medicine as a means of control. You’ll be invited to peer at some pretty grody anatomical models, step inside a replica 19th century pharmacy, and try your hand at disease control. The museum does a great job balancing passive exhibits (such as a collection of far too many body stones), active (such as a trying out a giant gastroscopy), and reflective (such as stepping inside a replica “padded room” and hearing the experiences of mental asylum patients. That one in particular got me right in the feels.
“Medicine” is a whirlwind crash course in all things medicine. It will make you think, make you wonder, and probably make you a little nauseous. As a student of medical history, a lot of this was familiar to me but a vast majority of the items were displayed in a way that conveyed perspectives I hadn’t considered before.
Be careful with kids unless you’re prepared to answer questions about the highly detailed wax anatomical models, cabinet display of forceps, vintage glass condom, or why some people still aren’t getting their vaccinations.
By the time I finished exploring, I was exhausted and it was pouring outside. Meh, maybe I’ll get to the Natural History Museum next week. The aptly-named Science Museum was worth the diversion.