museum
Unknown, 1826
Hodgkin Building, Guy' Campus, King's College London, SE1 1UL
This rarely opened space began as a medical school library in 1902 as part of Guy's Hospital Medical School. It then became a more general bioscience library, part of which iin 2009 the Museum of Life Sciences. Building of red brick with additional stonework and partially covered in creeper. Internally are carved oak cabinets and ornate columns.
London Bridge
London Bridge
21, 35, 133, 343
The route to the Museum of Life Sciences from Great Maze Pond near the entrance to Guy's Hospital will be sign posted.
Toilets are available on site at the Science Gallery, but not in the Museum.
The area is generally cool with seating. There is a restaurant on campus in the Science Gallery. Leaflets about the museum are available.
13:30–17:00
Opportunity for visitors to talk to some of those involved in the Museum and interact with some specimens from the collections.
11:00–16:00
Opportunity for visitors to talk to some of those involved in the Museum and interact with some of the objects in the collections.
This rarely open 'small gem in the heart of London' was created in 2009 in in part of the Will's Library of Guy's Hospital Medical School. The library was created in 1902 and housed in Hodgkin Building of the medical school, itself built in 1826.
The specimens in the Museum date from 1806 to the present and come from around the world. They were collected for research and teaching and are still used for those purposes. They represent much of the present college's scientific heritage and include specimens of scientific, medical and historical importance.
The Museum consists of a number of collections including Botanical, Pharmaceutical and Zoological material as well as an historic comparative dental collection originally used for teaching dentists in the 1800s. There is also a display celebrating the role of Rosalind Franklin in the discovery of the structure of DNA.
Specimens include whole organisms, dried specimens, fluid preserved material, skeletal material, taxidermy, microscope slides, herbarium specimens and artefacts. These are used for teaching inhouse, in workshops for schools and other groups of young people as well as in outreach to the wider public through Open Days and occasional exhibitions.
Many people past and present have been important in the Museum; in its inception, development and current state and use. These will be highlighted together with the ongoing and future work of the museum
There will also be the opportunity to meet and talk to some of those who are currently involved in the work of the Museum.
