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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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RCP museum @rcpmuseum.bsky.social · 2d

Join us for #half-term fun!
⭐27 Oct 'Tales from the doctors library' with storyteller Vanessa Woolf @londondreamtime.bsky.social
⭐28/29/30 Oct 'Patterns, pages & prints' creative family crafts.
⭐31 Oct 'Perilous patterns & ghoulish prints' - #Halloween family crafts!

history.rcp.ac.uk/events

RCP museum @rcpmuseum.bsky.social · 2d

All our events have been inspired by RCP exhibition ‘A body of knowledge’. As part of your visit pick up a children's worksheet to explore 500 years of book collecting at the @rcphysicians.bsky.social!

#BodyOfKnowledge

Exhibition graphic showing tall snippets from a range of books and the exhibition title and dates: 'A body of knowledge' 10 September 2025 - 23 July 2026

RCP museum @rcpmuseum.bsky.social · 2d

Join us for #half-term fun!
⭐27 Oct 'Tales from the doctors library' with storyteller Vanessa Woolf @londondreamtime.bsky.social
⭐28/29/30 Oct 'Patterns, pages & prints' creative family crafts.
⭐31 Oct 'Perilous patterns & ghoulish prints' - #Halloween family crafts!

history.rcp.ac.uk/events

RCP museum @rcpmuseum.bsky.social · 6d

Today we are sharing the story of James Samuel Risien Russell (1863 – 1939) - a renowned neurologist, acclaimed professor, & one of the first Black British consultants.

Read our blog for more on his life & career
👉 history.rcp.ac.uk/blog/james-s...

#BlackHistoryMonth @rcphysicians.bsky.social

Black and white photo portrait of James Risien Russell with short dark hair and a moustache.
Image courtesy of the Queen Square Archives ©National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery

RCP museum @rcpmuseum.bsky.social · 6d

Its #BlackHistoryMonth & every Thursday we will be sharing a blog about one of the many Black physicians who contributed to the development of medicine in the UK & around the world.

#BHM2025

RCP museum @rcpmuseum.bsky.social · 7d

Find many more stunning books in our exhibition ‘A body of knowledge’.
history.rcp.ac.uk/exhibitions/...

Visit in person Mon- Fri 9am to 5pm or join us after hours at our Museum Lates - the first late opening is this Thursday 2 October 5.30pm - 8pm.
history.rcp.ac.uk/events

#BodyOfKnowledge

An exhibition graphic whing marbled paper and sections of books overlaid with the text:
'A body of knowledge
Discover 500 years of book collecting at the Royal College of Physicians
10 September 2025 - 23 July 2026
Exhibition | Free entry'

RCP museum @rcpmuseum.bsky.social · 7d

This book is also important as a very good example of printing in more than one colour. Here, at the start of the third section, text has been printed in both red and black, as well as decoration and the running title being added by hand.

A page showing different coloured printed fonts and decorations added by hand from 'Recuyell of the historyes of Troye', translated and printed by William Caxton, published in Bruges, 1473.

RCP museum @rcpmuseum.bsky.social · 7d

The font used by Caxton closely resembled the script used for handwriting English literary manuscripts at the time. The letters aren’t always easy to recognise today. Here Caxton explains the labour involved in translating.

'my penne is worn, myn hande wery & not stedfast, myn eyen dimmed . . .'

A printed page showing this excerpt:
'Thus end I this book whyche I have translated after myn Auctor as nyghe as god hath given me connyng to whom be given the laude & preysyng, And for as moche as in the wrytyng of the same my penne is worn, myn hande wery & not stedfast, myn eyen dimmed with overmoche lokyng on the whit paper, and my corage not so prone and redy to laboure as it hath ben […]'
In' Recuyell of the historyes of Troye', translated and printed by William Caxton, published in Bruges, 1473.

RCP museum @rcpmuseum.bsky.social · 7d

The original author was French author Raoul Lefèvre, who treated the story of the fight between the Greeks and the Trojans in the style of a courtly romance.

A close up of the pages showing details from the prologue:
'Ere foloweth the prologue of that worshipful man Raoul le Fevre whiche was Auctor of this present book in the Ffrensh tonge.'
In 'Recuyell of the historyes of Troye', translated and printed by William Caxton, published in Bruges, 1473.

RCP museum @rcpmuseum.bsky.social · 7d

This book was the first ever printed in the English language & it was a translation. Printing pioneer William Caxton translated a French account of the ancient Greek story of the Trojan Wars, & published it in 1473 or 1474.

A printed page showing the start of second book within 'Recuyell of the historyes of Troye', translated and printed by William Caxton, published in Bruges, 1473.

RCP museum @rcpmuseum.bsky.social · 7d

It was #InternationalTranslationDay yesterday, slightly late but we couldn't resist showing off one of the most significant books in the @rcphysicians.bsky.social Heritage Library to celebrate!

'Recuyell of the historyes of Troye', translated & printed by William Caxton, published in Bruges, 1473.

Open pages of the 'Recuyell of the historyes of Troye' showing the printed prologue with a large illuminated letter W. The book was translated and printed by William Caxton, published in Bruges, 1473.

RCP museum @rcpmuseum.bsky.social · 8d

Are you joining our Museum Late this Thurs 2 Oct?
⭐ Discover new exhibition 'A body of knowledge' after hours
⭐ Exhibition tours at 6pm & 7pm
⭐ Explore art installation 'Making visible' in the Dorchester Library

Book free 👉
royal-college-of-physicians.arttickets.org.uk

@rcphysicians.bsky.social

A group of open and closed rare books.

A portrait of Grace Pierrepont on a wooden wall with the edges of bookcases filled with books wrapped in strips of blue paper - part of the Making Visible art installation.

Visitors looking into the glass cases of the exhibition

RCP museum @rcpmuseum.bsky.social · 9d

#WorldHeartDay aims to raise awareness of cardiovascular disease and the importance of taking care of your heart.

world-heart-federation.org/world-heart-...

World Heart Day 2025

On September 29, 2025, World Heart Day unites millions worldwide to fight cardiovascular disease. Learn how the World Heart Federation inspires action to prevent, treat, and beat heart disease.

world-heart-federation.org

RCP museum @rcpmuseum.bsky.social · 9d

This #WorldHeartDay lets enjoy this artwork by Angela Palmer created for RCP 2018 exhibition 'Ceaseless Motion: William Harvey’s Experiments in Circulation'. Working with the University of Minnesota, Palmer based the piece on MRI scans of a human heart.

👉 history.rcp.ac.uk/blog/when-ar...

RCP museum @rcpmuseum.bsky.social · 12d

The RCP archives reveal the role of physicians in treating King George III. This letter from Henry Revell Reynolds (born #OTD 1745) blames John Scott for 2 lords ghosting the King & worsening his mental health.

Discover more about physicians' treatment of George👉 history.rcp.ac.uk/blog/greater...

An 18th century hand-written letter from Henry Revell Reynolds regarding the health of King George III.

RCP museum @rcpmuseum.bsky.social · 15d

Happy Birthday @RCPhysicians - 507yrs old today!

The charter founding of the RCP was granted by King Henry VIII in 1518. While it has an impressive seal, the document itself appears unfinished.
Archive manager Pamela Forde considers the mystery in her blog 👉 history.rcp.ac.uk/blog/empty-t...

The founding charter of the RCP including the document with text in Latin with the signature of Henry VIII and his seal hanging from the bottom.

RCP museum @rcpmuseum.bsky.social · 16d

It's the #AutumnalEquinox today at 18.20 GMT! This 16th-century paper machine, called a volvelle, helps explain how the sun moves through the sky from equinox to solstice throughout the year. Find a full explainer video on our exhibition website: history.rcp.ac.uk/exhibitions/... #BodyofKnowledge

RCP museum @rcpmuseum.bsky.social · 21d

The artwork 'Making Visible' has been installed as part of the new exhibition 'A body of knowledge'.
Explore the artwork & exhibition after hours on 2 October at our Museum Late.
Book free now 👉 royal-college-of-physicians.arttickets.org.uk

#BodyOfKnowledge @rcphysicians.bsky.social

Exhibition graphic with marbled paper and the words:
A body of knowledge
Discover 500 years of book collecting at the Royal College of Physicians
10 September 2025 - 23 July 2026
Exhibition | Free entry

RCP museum @rcpmuseum.bsky.social · 21d

‘Making Visible’ is a new artwork by Catherine James to make visible the previously overlooked contributions of women to the RCP library.
Find out more about one of those fascinating women - Lady Grace Pierrepont in a new blog 👉 history.rcp.ac.uk/exhibitions/...
@rcphysicians.bsky.social #HistMed

A portrait of Lady Grace Pierrepont with books wrapped in strips of blue paper on bookshelves on either side as part of the 'Making Visible' artwork.

RCP museum @rcpmuseum.bsky.social · 28d

Exhibition, ‘A body of knowledge’ is open!
10 Sept 2025 - 23 July 2026.

history.rcp.ac.uk/exhibitions/...

Discover the surprising treasures of the RCP Heritage Library & explore how 500 years of book-collecting have built a wondrous, enduring library.

@rcphysicians.bsky.social #BodyofKnowledge

Exhibition graphic showing tall snippets from a range of books and the exhibition title and dates: 'A body of knowledge' 10 September 2025 - 23 July 2026

An image of a book with multicoloured pages open on display.

Image of the exhibition in the Gallery at the RCP with information panels, paintings and glass cases full of books displayed.

RCP museum @rcpmuseum.bsky.social · Sep 3

Join us to celebrate East & South East Asian (ESEA) Heritage Month!

Bring your friends tomorrow 4 Sept from 5.30pm for a fun & thoughtful drop-in paper-based craft mixer, inspired by @rcphysicians.bsky.social ESEA archive collections & plants.

Book 👉 royal-college-of-physicians.arttickets.org.uk

A Chinese manuscript showing watercolour illustrations of plants.

A display of ESEA plants including Chinese lanterns and Chinese quince.

RCP museum @rcpmuseum.bsky.social · Aug 28

Some #behindthescenes action at the Royal College of Physicians Museum this summer!

We are busy installing the new exhibition, inspecting & of course dusting!

Coming soon: history.rcp.ac.uk/exhibitions/...

#museumlife #histmed #BodyofKnowledge @rcphysicians.bsky.social

A woman crouches down and uses a stick to delicately lift the flaps of a diagram in a book inside a display case.

A bright light shines onto a metal cup being held up in blue-gloved hands.

A woman in blue gloves uses a brush to dust around items in an open display case.

RCP museum @rcpmuseum.bsky.social · Aug 22

‘I am very excited by your eyeball!’

Things you hear in a #medicalmuseum😅

#histmed #museumlife

A diagram of the human eyeball with different moveable layers of flaps showing the interior structures. A person's hand is holding up one of the flap layers.

A woman uses plyers and scissors to connect a metal ring to the top of a group of laminated images of the layers of the human eyeball.

RCP museum @rcpmuseum.bsky.social · Aug 21

Join us for #OpenHouse2025!
We will be open on Saturday 20 September 10am - 4pm.
We invite you to drop in, take an expert tour, explore our archives and heritage library, get creative and more to discover the @rcphysicians.bsky.social London home.
Book free👉 programme.openhouse.org.uk/listings/1527

A man and a woman look at a visitor booklet about the RCP while standing in the Lasdun Hall.

A side view of the exterior of the RCP. A long top floor clad in white tile and marked by slit windows sits above large windows and a box-like room jutting out. The grass lawn is in the foreground.

RCP museum @rcpmuseum.bsky.social · Aug 14

Exciting work is also going into getting new exhibition ‘A body of knowledge’ ready for opening on 10 September. Here we are taking photos of beautiful featured books & creating mounts to display them.

history.rcp.ac.uk/exhibitions/...

#BodyOfKnowledge

Two lights pointing at a book open in a white box ready to photograph.

A member of staff folds conservation grade card into a triangular support for one half of a book.

A member of staff folds conservation grade card into a triangular support for one half of a book.

RCP museum @rcpmuseum.bsky.social · Aug 14

What’s been happening #behindthescenes at the @rcphysicians.bsky.social this summer? well for one a lot of physicians' paintings are on the move while works are undertaken in the building.
These chaps have been staring unnervingly at us while we work in the library . . .votes on your favourite wig?

Three paintings of well-dressed men with wigs lined up in front of the bookcases of the Dorchester Library.

A whole row of paintings of well-dressed men mostly in wigs lined up in front of the bookcases of the Dorchester Library.