Medical Museion (Medical Museum), Copenhagen

Medical Museion is a part of the University of Copenhagen’s Faculty of Health Sciences. This museum is also a research unit dedicated to history of disease and health from a cultural perspective. It is housed in Frederiksstaden on Bredgade in a very old building dating back to 1787. This building was designed by Peter Meyn in neo-classical style. The Academy of Surgery responsible for educating surgeons was housed here from 1785 to 1842.

As you browse around, you will find that the main focus of this museum is the recent advancements in the field of biomedicine. You will find displays related to the iconographic culture of biomedicine here.

It was in 1906 that a group of Copenhagen based medical doctors founded the impressive collections at this unique museum. On the occasion of the 50th year celebrations of the Danish Medical Association, the Medical Museion held its first ever exhibition on August 22nd, 1907. At that time, the museum was situated at the Fredericiagade Rigsdag building. It was moved to its present location in 1947.

Originally the museum was called the Museum of Medical History. It was only from 2004 that it is referred to as Medical Museion. As part of the training, dissections were carried out in the central space which is used as the exhibition space today.