Museum of the History of Medicine

Founded in 1938 by Adalberto Pazzini, the Museum of History of Medicine possesses a rich collection of items, many of which original, making it possible to trace the development of medical knowledge from prehistoric times up to genomics. In accordance with its educational and popularizing role as a body to complement the teaching provided both in primary and secondary schools and at the university level, the museum is furnished with video and multimedia equipment for in-depth examination of key issues regarding the history of medicine, biomedicine, bioethics, and relations between the biomedical sciences and society. The exhibits are arranged on three floors. The basement houses reconstructions of settings such as an apothecary’s shop and an alchemist’s laboratory. The first floor covers the period from prehistoric times to the 17th century, with exhibits illustrating the medicine of the ancient Mediterranean civilizations and the Middle Ages. The second floor documents the transition from experimental medicine to the recent challenges of biomedicine and genomics and their technological applications.