After over three years in Hong Kong I’m slowly running out of new museums to visit. But, still, every once in a while I happen to stumble upon a new HK local treat I haven’t seen before, and so one day as I was walking around Sheung Wan I saw a sign pointing to the HK Museum of Medical Sciences, which – if you know anything about me – means that I would try and find the time to visit there soon enough.
It’s an odd little museum, aimed at the historical preservation of Hong Kong’s medical development. Why someone would think this is something the HK locals would find interesting is beyond me, but there it stands, occupying this lovely colonial (Edwardian) style house somewhere in mid-levels.
(decency is important for this historical acupuncture doll, it seems).
What’s this about, then, you ask? The official website explains briefly:
The Hong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences, established in 1996, is an unique institution charting the historical development of medical sciences in Hong Kong. The Museum occupies 10,000 square feet, comprising 11 Exhibition Galleries, 1 Gallery for Tai Ping Shan View, 1 Library and 1 Lecture Room, each presents in a variety of ways to arouse interests and to help members of the community know more about health and diseases, including past conquests, current developments and future challenge of special relevance to Hong Kong. It also explores the interface between Chinese and Western medicine and encourage research in this area. It intends to serve both as an educational venue and to restore and conserve medical objects of historical value. As such, it is the first of its kind amongst medical museums in the world!
So in we go…
What’s to see? well, all sorts of weird stuff. Some educational, some semi-historical, some just plain odd.
Consider this next one, for example, what do you make of that… ?
Of these two fellows, dissecting a few rats…
Or these medical instruments…
Guess what this one is used for…
Since we’re in Hong Kong, there’s a portion of the museum devoted to the exploration of what’s referred to as "Chinese medicine" which, among many other things, includes the use of herbs…
Not sure this is what you’d consider a prime attraction, but if you’re living in HK and already in the area, why not drop in and have a look. I especially recommend having a peek at the basement 😛