Medi-Culture Event with the Old Operating Theatre Museum

The event was part of the bi-annual Team London Bridge Medi-Culture Festival, which celebrates the intersection of medicine, history, and culture in the local area, offering attendees an opportunity to explore the fascinating history of medicine while engaging in a creative and hands-on experience.

The highlight of the event was a pomander-making workshop, where participants could craft their own aromatic pomanders filled with dried herbs and spices, traditionally used as both a form of medicine and an air purifier in the past.

Pomanders have long been associated with the history of health and hygiene, with their use dating back to the Middle Ages when people believed they could ward off disease and bad smells, especially during times of plague. 

Artefact Display from the Old Operating Theatre Museum

In addition to the pomander-making workshop, the event featured an exclusive display of artefacts from The Old Operating Theatre Museum, one of London’s hidden gems. The museum, located in a 19th-century building on St Thomas Street, five minutes walk from The Shard, is home to one of the oldest surviving operating theatres in Europe and houses a remarkable collection of medical instruments and historical artefacts. 

The display included tools that would have been used in early surgeries, as well as items that offer a glimpse into the lives of those who worked in medicine in centuries past. From surgical implements to fascinating medical records, the artefacts served as a powerful reminder of the medical advancements that have shaped the healthcare system today.

Part of the MediCulture Festival

The London Bridge Medi-Culture District brings together sites of pivotal importance to science and medicine in the area, celebrating its 1,000 year-long heritage of life-changing work that continues now and into the future.

Find out more about the London Bridge Medi-Culture Festival at https://www.mediculture.co.uk/

Visit the Old Operating Theatre Museum & Herb Garret at https://oldoperatingtheatre.com/

This event was organised in partnership with local Business Improvement District Team London Bridge.