The Old Operating Theatre Museum and Herb Garret

Super cool old surgical theatre right near Borough Market and London Bridge… such a fantastic find. Highly recommend the the 1-​hour Saturday lecture to bring the theatre to life. You’ll feel sorry for the poor souls who had to undergo surgery in those days. The small herb and medical museum outside the operating theatre is also very interesting. Worth it just for the photos of the narrow, winding staircase!

Make sure to consider weather before planning this into your day — I went on a relatively warm day in London, and waited almost an hour at the bottom of the steep spiral staircase for people to clear out so I could go up. Inside it was stiflingly hot, and they were trying to prevent people from passing out there due to heat from overcrowding!
My time was cut a little short because of the wait, and I only had half an hour in the museum. Realistically an hour would have been more suitable. The things on display range from pots of every day herbs to rare and original gynecology instruments. The operating theatre itself is definitely worth a look, as it was the site of hundreds of anesthesia-​free surgeries back in the day. There’s not a lot to read, so this is mostly about the ambience of the old church tower and the rare paraphernalia.

Up a narrow, steep and winding staircase made of ageing wood that is just slippery enough to leave you in constant fear you’ll slip and break your legs (even though you won’t in the end) lies a place where time has stood still since the 17^th century. Perfectly suited to its antiquated name, the Old Operating Theatre Museum and Herb Garret is cavernous and modestly sized but decorated in breathtaking detail; where varnished skeletons, brains and internal organs pickled in formaldehyde sit in elevated boxes next to formidable looking syringes and other medical equipment.
This museum hosts a collection of curious things: models of dead animals, bottles of things that look like they could be faintly poisonous vegetables that have gone stale decades ago but have been preserved, the shells of crustaceans and dried greenery weaving along cracked wooden beams. They’ve gone all out on the death theme: skulls litter shaded corners and sit atop tables there’s even a section of the museum that has two mannequins wearing formal dress in a solemn pose, standing over a bed mourning the death of a child.
The mini amphitheatre upstairs (complete with a battered wooden operating table right in the middle) holds host to some astounding literary events, like BAD IDEA’s Butcher’s Shop, an interactive theatrical and literary event whose praises I have sung in the past for getting the balance just right between being playful and intellectually stimulating. If you go there of an evening, please heed the following warning: do NOT wait until you’re desperate to go to ladies’ or gents’ loos because they have none on the premises. You’ll have to use the one across the road! I never found the herb garret either.

I visited with a friend who was studying medicine, but found it a much more interesting experience than I expected. Seeing the old operating theatre made of wood and the sawdust scattered on the floor for effect was really interesting. It is a little surreal to have a museum of medicine shhowing you all the implements used and talking about the history of operations, and then being able to also see the tranquil herb garden, but overall an interesting experience. It’s probably unintentionally gruesome enough for kids to enjoy too.
A small museum, but really interesting and definitely unique; good if you are interested in learning more about the history of medicine and appreciating developments in science that have happened since!

Ein weiteres Museum der London Museums of Health & Medicine Organizsation ist das The Old Operating Theatre Museum and Herb Garret und befindet sich in der St. Thomas’s Street gegenüber dem St. Guys Hospital.
Bei diesem Museum handelt es sich um einen alten Operationssaal (Operating Theatre) und dem Dachboden (Herb Garret), auf dem früher die Heilkräuter getrocknet wurden.
Das Operating Theatre aus dem 19. Jahrhundert ist das einizge noch existierende in ganz Großbritannien.
Den Operationssaal hatte man schon fast vergessen, als dieser in den 50er Jahren bei Renovierungsarbeiten wieder entdeckt wurde. Nur knapp entging das Gebäude dem Abbruch– so versicherte uns der Leiter des Museums.
Auf dem Dachboden der alten St. Thomas’s Church ist dieses einmalige Zeugnis der britischen Medizin-​Geschichte zu bestaunen. Es ist schon teilweise recht atemberaubend zu sehen, wie man seinerzeit Operation durchführte. Einer Zeit, zu der Narkose und Sterilität noch Fremdwörter waren
So steht zum Beispiel unter dem OP-​Tisch eine mit Sägespänen gefüllte Kiste. Wozu fragte ich mich bekam auch gleich die Antwort von einer netten Angestellten: Während der Operationen floss eine Menge Blut –Moderne Instrumente zu Blutstillung gab es noch nicht– und die Ärzte schoben sich unter dem Tisch diesen Kasten zu, je nachdem, wo es gerade mehr blutete. Kleine Organe oder amputierte Gliedmassen kamen auch in diese Kiste hinein.
Zum Thema Amputationen: In den Zeiten als hier noch aktiv gearbeitet wurde, gab es keine Narkose, also mussten die Operateure wegen der ungeheuerlichen Schmerzen der Patienten sehr schnell arbeiten. Eine Amputation dauerte im seltensten Fall länger als 1 (!) Minute.
Das Operating Theatre hat seinen Namen nicht ohne Grund: Wie in einem Theater sind rund um den OP-​Tisch ansteigende Ränge mit Bänken, von denen die Studenten oder Ärzte die Operationen mit verfolgen konnten.
Im Museum gibt es Regelmäßig Vorführungen, in denen recht anschaulich demonstriert wird, wie es bei den Operationen zuging.
Seinen ganz großen Auftritt hatte das Museum als Drehort in dem Kinofilm From Hell mit Johnny Depp.
Auch dieses Museum ein absolutes Must see!

This is the oldest operating theatre in England. The exhibits will tell the stody of how surgery was like and the use of herbal medicine. There you will get an insight of how operations were performed a long time ago. There was no antiseptic and anaesthetic which made me think of the pain and how much the patient suffered. There is also lots of instruments that were used during surgery back then which looked a bit horrifying. There are tours, talks, lectures about the place and its history. It is definately one place to visit to have a look.

This small but excellent museum houses Britain’s oldest surviving operating theatre (from the early 19^th century) which was discovered in the 1950s and has since been restored. Talks are given in the theatre with knowledgeable staff demonstrating surgery (pre-​anaesthesia!) on victims/​volunteers from the audience. No actual blood is spilt but it does give you a better idea of what went on.
The Herb Garret (where the local apothecary stored his herbs) is full of unusual displays including bizarre prescriptions (snail water), dissected organs and brutal-​looking medical instruments. It’s somehow not as grisly as it sounds, perhaps because of the cosy, timbered setting in a church roof.
There’s trails and activities for children and they have a teacher’s pack on the website. The only access is up a very steep, narrow spiral staircase. Not recommended for those with mobility problems.