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rcpmuseum.bsky.social
RCP museum
@rcpmuseum.bsky.social
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The Royal College of Physicians museum, heritage library, archive & garden in Regent's Park | History, medicine, art & modernist architecture | Exhibitions & events
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rcpmuseum.bsky.social
Join us next Thurs 5 Feb for an evening exploring the long, rich & inspiring history of LGBTQ+ lives through fascinating & potentially challenging items in the RCP collections.

Book free now 👉https://RCP_Museum_LGBTplus_History_Month.eventbrite.co.uk

#LGBTplusHM #LGBTQIA #ScienceAndInnovation
An image of Eugene Sandow crouched down while punching out with his right arm. He has a moustache, is dressed only in boots and pants, and is standing on a leopard skin rug. A group of visitors on the exhibition gallery.
January 29, 2026 at 3:20 PM
Reposted by RCP museum
rcpsgheritage.bsky.social
For #NationalHandwritingDay here's proof that doctors don't have terrible handwriting! This beautifully handwritten letter (c.1735) diagnoses a patient with breast cancer, a “disorder rarely hitherto known to yield to any milder remedy than the knife”.
Beautiful handwritten letter. The writing fills the full page and discusses very remedies to try for someone who is living with breast cancer. The letter is dated August 7th 1735
January 23, 2026 at 9:43 AM
rcpmuseum.bsky.social
Happy belated Birthday to Edward Tyson born #OTD (yesterday!) 1651!
These drawings are from Tyson's scrapbook on #comparativeanatomy. Tyson was one of the first to propose a continuity of traits between humans & other primates, his writings informing future research into human evolution.

#histmed
Black and white pencil drawing of a cuttlefish, possibly partially dissected, with its tentacles splayed out. Annotation reads 'Sepia - April 20th 1693' Two colour drawings of dissected lizards, pinned on their backs with internal organs on display. Both have their legs and tails splayed out and one has its long tongue splayed out also. Three colour drawings showing parts of dissected snake, including one of the head posed, as if in life, with the mouth open showing the teeth and protruding tongue Colour drawing of a warthog in profile view, as if in life, and the same view of a warthog skeleton
January 21, 2026 at 11:43 AM
rcpmuseum.bsky.social
Events to look out for over the next few months at the RCP museum!

⭐4 Feb & 4 Mar – taster tour
⭐5 Feb – Museum Late: LGBT+ History Month special
⭐17 Feb – Tales from the doctors library: family storytime & crafts
⭐4 Mar – Museum Late: women’s history month

Book now 👉 history.rcp.ac.uk/events
A tour group gathered round a guide in the RCP. An image of Eugene Sandow crouched down while punching out with his right arm. He has a moustache, is dressed only in boots and pants, and is standing on a leopard skin rug. A set of three images. On the left is a woman (Dr Dossabai Patell) in a white shirt surrounded by men in suits. In the centre is the portrait of Dr Dorothy Hare dressed in her red graduation robes and black hat. On the right is the title page of a handwritten book reading 'The Lady Sedley, her Receipt book' The storyteller holds out her ukulele for a child to drum on as other children watch.
January 20, 2026 at 2:05 PM
rcpmuseum.bsky.social
Exhibition 'A body of knowledge' uses 61 of our most fascinating books to explore 500 years of book collecting @rcphysicians.bsky.social. But there are 50,000 on our shelves!
Today’s blog👉 history.rcp.ac.uk/blog/archite... explores 5 16th C masterpieces on architecture, displayed at #OpenHouse2025.
Three men closely examine the 16th C books on display in the Dorchester Library.
January 16, 2026 at 12:13 PM
rcpmuseum.bsky.social
Today we got to see this painting of physician William Harvey up close as it was removed from its frame. The frame is off for a conservation treatment.
Painted by an unknown artist in 1650 it is one of the few RCP Museum objects to have survived the Great Fire of London.

#behindthescenes

1/3
Two art handlers unscrew metal catches on the back of the painting frame. Two art handlers carefully place the unframed painting of William Harvey onto foam blocks. Two art handlers carefully lift the empty decorative golden frame. The portrait of William Harvey outside it's frame supported on foam blocks.
January 7, 2026 at 3:17 PM
rcpmuseum.bsky.social
Happy New Year!! 🥳

We are enjoying the winter sun & looking forward to 2026, pop by for a visit to see:
⭐Exhibition 'A body of knowledge' until 23 July
⭐Historic medical tools of the trade
⭐Artwork & silverware
⭐Stunning Grade I listed architecture

Plan your visit now history.rcp.ac.uk/visit-us
January 5, 2026 at 4:01 PM
rcpmuseum.bsky.social
The gorgeous 13th C Wilton Psalter starts with a calendar of annual events. As well as listing Christian saints' days & other religious festivals, each month is illustrated with its sign of the Zodiac & a 'labour of the month'.

Here is December's 'labour' - to feast & be merry!
This illuminated roundel shows a Janus-faced character drinking from a goblet and a horn, with a table set out with rich dishes and pies.
December 19, 2025 at 4:51 PM
rcpmuseum.bsky.social
2025 has been a busy year, we:
⭐ran 34 events & 79 tours for over 2,600 visitors
⭐replied to over 600 enquiries
⭐set 85 traps for pests
⭐drank about 1300 cups of tea!

Explore all our fun facts in our 'Museum Wrapped' blog 👉 history.rcp.ac.uk/blog/2025-rc...

@rcphysicians.bsky.social
December 19, 2025 at 12:44 PM
rcpmuseum.bsky.social
🎄Festive closures 🎄

The RCP Museum will be closed on the following dates 👇
19th December, Christmas Eve (24th), Christmas Day (25th), Boxing Day (26th), New Year's Eve (31st) 2025 and New Year's Day (1st) 2026.

Plan you visit 👉 history.rcp.ac.uk/visit-us
A large decorated Christmas tree in the RCP central hall.
December 18, 2025 at 3:15 PM
rcpmuseum.bsky.social
To celebrate #ArabicLanguageDay here is one of the first books printed in Arabic in Europe - a 1593 copy of 'Al-qanun fi'l-tibb' [The canon of medicine] by 10th–11th C Muslim writer Ibn Sīnā, known as Avicenna. It was a key text for medical students, but most Europeans would have read a translation.
An open book with Arabic printed text inside a display case. The text is: Al-qanun fi'l-tibb [The canon of medicine] byIbn Sīnā, known as Avicenna, published Rome, 1593 Open pages of a printed book in Arabic. The book is: Al-qanun fi'l-tibb [The canon of medicine] by Ibn Sīnā, known as Avicenna, published Rome, 1593
December 18, 2025 at 2:41 PM
rcpmuseum.bsky.social
Thank you to everyone who joined the RCP Garden & Museum teams for a lovely evening of tea tasting & making last night!
A beautiful final event of 2025 with a lovely group. 🍵😋

We look forward to sharing more lovely events with you all in 2026!

@rcphysicians.bsky.social #histmed #RCPHealingRecipes
December 18, 2025 at 12:06 PM
rcpmuseum.bsky.social
Excellent recent workshop with artist Sarah Davis! Inspired by the Wilton Psalter we recreated beautiful letters from the 13th C manuscript learning all about medieval materials & techniques. Thanks to all who joined.
About artist: www.sarahgdavis.co.uk

@rcphysicians.bsky.social #BodyOfKnowledge
December 16, 2025 at 6:19 PM
Reposted by RCP museum
queerarchivist.bsky.social
Hi! Sharing my call out for participants for my PhD research. Looking for women involved in care/ and or activism during the AIDS crisis in UK or US! #research #aids #women #feminism #phd #callforparticipants #interview #history
December 10, 2025 at 10:21 PM
Reposted by RCP museum
samuscript.bsky.social
Very excited for this evening's online @rcpmuseum.bsky.social event 📚 After a tour of the current bookish exhibition by @girlinthe.bsky.social, @awickenden.bsky.social will talk about libraries, and I will talk about some Arabic books. Get your ticket here ➡️ www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/a-body-of-...
A body of knowledge: winter lectures
Join us to explore recent research into how we investigate the history of libraries like the collections of the Royal College of Physicians.
www.eventbrite.co.uk
December 9, 2025 at 8:22 AM
rcpmuseum.bsky.social
Have you booked for our cosy, fragrant & tasty evening yet?

Join us on 17 Dec for 'Teas form the Garden' a seasonal workshop to learn about, taste & create your own herbal tea blends guided by an expert from the @rcphysicians.bsky.social Garden.

Book 👉 rcp_teas_from_the_garden.eventbrite.co.uk
rcpmuseum.bsky.social RCP museum @rcpmuseum.bsky.social · Nov 20
On 17 Dec from 6pm, join the RCP Garden team for an evening of tea tasting & blending featuring ingredients in the Medicinal Garden. Inspired by recipe books in the RCP archives & led by expert gardeners create a blend to take home or give as a festive gift!

Book 👉 history.rcp.ac.uk/event/teas-g...
A flyer titled 'Teas form the Garden' surrounded by colourful dried herbs A cup of her tea being poured into a tea cup.
December 8, 2025 at 4:34 PM
Reposted by RCP museum
awickenden.bsky.social
A reminder to book for the (online) @rcpmuseum.bsky.social Winter Lectures next Tuesday! a guided tour of the exhibition by @girlinthe.bsky.social, a lecture on Lancelot Browne and Arabic books by @samuscript.bsky.social, and a lecture from me on libraries 📚 history.rcp.ac.uk/event/body-k...
A body of knowledge: winter lectures | RCP Museum
history.rcp.ac.uk
December 5, 2025 at 5:05 PM
rcpmuseum.bsky.social
These 1829 surveys show how British colonial doctors in Latin America helped destroy inclusive indigenous medical practises, in which gender and wealth played no role. In Britain, only wealthy men could be doctors.

#ExploreArchives #EYAInclusion
A handwritten survey response from Trinidad, dated 1829. One sentence reads: ‘Of native doctors we may say we have not any except old women who deal in simples.’
December 5, 2025 at 3:26 PM
rcpmuseum.bsky.social
#EarlyModern recipe books reflect collective medical knowledge. Anyone of any gender, ethnicity, or status could practise medicine. But the founding of the RCP in 1518 was an attempt to stamp out this inclusive culture and ensure that only wealthy men could be doctors

#ExploreArchives #EYAInclusion
A double page spread from a 17th century handwritten recipe book, including a remedy for ‘gravel’ (urinary tract stones) shared with Sarah Wigges by Mr Speed.
December 5, 2025 at 10:51 AM
rcpmuseum.bsky.social
Dr Pye-Smith’s scrapbook includes an ode by James Hadfield to Jack Squrriel, one of many pets he had while held in Bethlem for trying to assassinate George III. The British state would rather criminalise those with mental health conditions than support them in the community
#ExploreArchives #EYAPets
A Victorian scrapbook containing drawings of dissected body parts, bugs, and other items. A handwritten poem about a squirrel, written in 1829.
December 3, 2025 at 2:50 PM
rcpmuseum.bsky.social
Dog health in #EarlyModern recipe books! The 6th recipe down in the 1st image asserts that ox blood poured into an open wound ‘cureth ye scabs in dogs,’ and the treatment for mange involves train oil (from whales), soap, gunpowder, and flower of brimstone (sulphur)

#ExploreArchives #EYAPets
Eighteenth century handwritten medical recipes Eighteenth century handwritten medical recipes
December 3, 2025 at 10:19 AM
rcpmuseum.bsky.social
In oral history recordings, silence can be as powerful as the words it punctuates. In this emotional clip, former RCP president Andrew Goddard speaks about losing his friend and colleague, Donal O’Donoghue, to #COVID.

#ExploreArchives #EYASilence

👉 history.rcp.ac.uk/exhibitions/...
December 2, 2025 at 2:02 PM
rcpmuseum.bsky.social
The first mention of #HIV/AIDS in RCP minutes is 6 years after the first AIDS-related death in Britain. The RCPs silence helped the state take advantage of the epidemic to spread fear, introduce queerphobic policies, and cut services such as healthcare

#ExploreArchives #EYASilence
Official written documents relating to HIV/AIDS from the 1980s and 1990s
December 2, 2025 at 12:34 PM
rcpmuseum.bsky.social
1 December 2025 marks the 37th #WorldAIDSDay. The @rcphysicians.bsky.social Archives, Heritage Library & Museum Collections continue to seek donations of material relating to the history of HIV/AIDS.

Find out about recent donations & interviews 👉 history.rcp.ac.uk/blog/world-a...
A leaflet titled 'AIDS Don’t die of Ignorance' from 1987 recently donated to the RCP archive.
December 1, 2025 at 6:58 PM
rcpmuseum.bsky.social
Cure your spots, clear your warts & check who's wearing make up - 17th C style!
Discover these fascinating instructions in one of RCPs hand-written recipe books with Archive Manager Pamela Forde.

👉 youtu.be/vSo5-BeuYz0?...

Not animal friendly - don't try at home!
#EYABeauty #ExploreYourArchive
Transcribathon 2023: 17th century 'beauty' recipes
YouTube video by Royal College of Physicians
youtu.be
November 30, 2025 at 8:22 PM