Surgery and the Victorian Operating Theatre

Step inside Europe’s oldest surviving operating theatre to discover the origins of Old St Thomas’ Hospital and the history of Victorian surgery.

Explore the history of Old St Thomas’ Hospital and the development of the medical profession in the Victorian era. In this session you will learn about the surgical procedures most commonly performed in the early 19th century, from amputations to emergency operations and hear how they were carried out before the arrival of modern anaesthetics and antiseptics.

The session takes place in Europe’s oldest surviving operating theatre, located in the attic of an 18th century church. Here up to 150 medical students once gathered to observe operations and learn their trade. It is a rare chance to experience the atmosphere of an original medical teaching space that has survived for over two centuries.

After the demo you can stay and look around the museum until closing time at 5.20 pm.