The Old Operating Theatre Museum and Herb Garret

Imagine you were sick, gall stones, and you had to have an operation where a thin metal rod was stuck into your *ahem* and a small incision to be made behind your *ahem* to get them out. Now imagine that I told you the operation would be without anaesthetic. And because of that there will be men holding you down. And there will probably be about 150 medical students watching. But it'll be over really fast ,45 seconds in fact. That's not so bad is it? Did I mention the blindfold?

Try not to think about the red stain on the pulled out part of the operating table...

Hidden in an old church attic, lost for almost hundred years is a small old operating theatre. It used to belong to the female ward of the St Thomas hospital before the hospital moved and its grounds sold to the railway companies.

Entrance to the Old Operating Theatre - no the patients did not come up this way.

The theatre has been on my list of things to see in London for a while and a couple of weekends ago I finally managed to visit. I was even more fortunate to be squeezed in to the lecture which was booked out (there were a couple of no shows). The lady giving the talk was brilliant, she made a few grown men cringe and kids squirm.

One of the knives used for amputation

She talked about a couple of operations back when the operating theatre was in use, one an amputation another a gallstone removal - both operations would have been held at midday, to make full use of the natural light from the skylight. She also spoke about how medicine was viewed, how operations were about taking things away from the body because it was all about doing things fast, before anaesthetic began to be used and it could slow down. She spoke about how the theatre was found, like a little time capsule, years later. It was fascinating.

Ready to saw off that leg?

Even the operating table itself had so many unique features - firstly this was pre-recognition of germs...hence wood. It had grooves for the blood to trickle down and was quite low so the men holding patients down would be gravity assisted. Can you guess what the elevated head piece was for?

After the talk I had a look around the small herb garret which had been used for drying herbs used in medicines of the time before a patients recovery room. There were displays of doctors instruments, old medical equipment, pathology, herbs, early medication, an apothecary shop and more. I even came across a small pamphlet talking about a lady named Miranda who, determined to be a doctor, made herself over as a man, named James Barry, became a successful doctor and was buried as a man. Can you imagine that kind of dedication?

Whether your interested in medical history, are a medical student (like some I overheard), like secret and forgotten pieces of the past, or just want to see grown men cringe ;) The old operating theatre is unique and the oldest in Europe.

Anaesthetic masks

A visit costs £6.50 for adults and the Saturday 2pm lecture books out weeks in advance so book early! While you are in the area, you can always pop in to Borough Markets for a bite or a coffee :)

If you cant visit in person, do have a look at their virtual tour, the images from the garret do far better justice to the space than my photos!

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Sir John Soane's Museum

Imagine a Victorian terrace in the centre of London that looks on to a leafy green square. If your not paying attention you could easily pass right by this hidden London gem. It looks like all the other houses on the street - except for the line outside.

The Sir John Soane's Museum is one of London's more unique museums, and one of my favourites. I initially visited quite a few years ago and was blown away with what was hidden inside its normal exterior. Egyptian Sarcophagus, shelves of books, a Monks parlour, the clever picture room and more.

Last Tuesday I decided to go back for a visit during their monthly candlelit evenings. Walking into the front room again, the glow of the candles bouncing of the mirrors and glass cabinets overflowing with leather bound books, for a moment it was as though id stepped back in time.

By courtesy of the Trustees of Sir John Soane’s Museum by Derry Moore

About the Museum

Sir John Soane was the son of a bricklayer who became a distinguished architect. He designed and built 12, 13, 14 Lincon's Inn Fields. Number 13 was home to his architectural designs, artifacts and antiquities which he cultivated into an impressive collection during his lifetime. "He established the house as a museum by Act of Parliament (1833) requiring that his romantic and poetic interiors be kept as they were at the time of his death." - soane.org

By courtesy of the Trustees of Sir John Soane’s Museum by Lewis Bush

For a first visit, I'd recommend going during daytime opening hours as its easier to see Soane's collection and clever use of mirrors to light different rooms than it is by candlelight. My favourite part of the house is the picture room, make sure you visit and stick around for the demo - that's all I'm saying. There is a current project to reinstate Soane’s own bedroom, bathroom, oratory, book passage and Model Room and Mrs Soane’s Morning Room so soon enough there will be even more to see.

By courtesy of the Trustees of Sir John Soane’s Museum by Derry Moore

Visiting Sir John Soane's Museum

• Open Tuesday to Saturday 10am-5pm
• Free entry :)
• The candlelight openings occur on the 1st Tuesday of the month at 6pm though the line outside starts forming much earlier.
• No photography is allowed.
• Try not to take any bulky or big bags with you.
• Closest tube station is Holborn
• Full address 13 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London WC2A 3BP

Have you found a hidden gem in London?

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Horniman Museum - Museum Lates

Walking uphill towards the Horniman Museum, unfit as I am, all I could think was "this better be worth it!". I'd never been to Forest Hill and it felt like I'd left London behind. Little did I know how wrong, and, how right, I was.

Horniman Museum exterior - clock tower and tile work

Having never been to Forest Hill, it follows that I'd never been to the Horniman Museum, let alone been to their Museum Lates. I'm kind of embarrassed to say that the only thing drawing me there was the thirst to try something new, see more of London and expand my knowledge of this city. I'm glad I did though. I uncovered a gem. Not long after arriving, I found myself drawn to the Sunken Garden where juggler-cum-violinist-cum-tightrope-walker, Kwabana Lindsay, was entertaining his visitors with his antics, dexterity, amazing balance and beautiful music.

Violinist tightrope walker - he was darn good too!

A hop over to the other side of the grounds, behind the main part of the museum, was the gorgeous Victorian conservatory. It was playing hosting a cheeky art pop up by Modern Toss complete with a F***Yeux Tapestry and Periodic Table of Swearing. Just outside the conservatory people were milling about with drinks or having a bite to eat from cafe or temporary food stalls.

You might want to click on this photo to see a larger size

Before heading inside I was treated to one of the loveliest sunsets I have ever seen in London. It was a stand out moment for me. The museum, located at a high vantage point, took full advantage of its position to show off its views over London. Sitting at the picnic tables and looking out to the horizon, I watched the sun turn the sky into yellows, oranges, reds and purples, suspending everyone watching in the same fleeting moment, before it dipped beyond sight.

Back inside the Horniman Museum, the sounds of the live Zimbabwean music band, Harare, reverberated, welcoming visitors and echoing through the exhibition halls. I could hear it (albeit faintly) in whichever exhibition hall I was in. Some visitors opted to buy a glass of wine, relax in the deck chairs and simply let the music wash over them.

But that wasn't all, past the disco lift (yes they converted a lift into a tiny disco) and to the left, in the Natural History Gallery, the lights were out. Here, the storyteller, Olivia Armstrong, weaved her voice and her story of the moon to a rapt audience that sat at her feet by lamplight. It reminded me of how amazing true story tellers can be and what a lost art it seems to have become. I later wandered around the second floor of the hall while the story tellers voice carried around me and looked at the bats, rabbits, seashells, coral and other creatures on display. Its unusual to see a museum exhibit in dim light - it definitely adds a spooky, yet sombre feel.

The Natural History Gallery - it was much darker but I've lightened the image to better illustrate the gallery

In the another exhibition hall I was transported to Siberia through the lens of photographer Bryan Alexander. In the Whisper of the Stars: Traditional Life in Arctic Siberia exhibit, he has captured moments in the lives of the peoples who live in the extreme cold of this plain. Some photos had me transfixed, wondering at these peoples lives, and how dramatically different it is to my own. I didn't know if I was the lucky one or the unlucky one.

A photo of a photo...sorry about the reflections - this is a photo of Chukchi hunters travelling by dog sled near Dezhnovka. Chukotskiy Peninsula, North East Siberia (original copyrighted to Bryan Alexander) Other images can be seen here.

It really was a great night out for £5 and I would definitely go again. I also want to go during the day, just to meander through its gardens and, perhaps, to take a look at its aquarium, it seems to be quite unique one and I'm quite curious!

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Sherlock Holmes Museum, London

Its a busy London street, traffic zooms by as i wait at the lights and look at the entrance to number 221b Baker St. It is, perhaps, the most famous address for a fictional character, and a well known one at that, Sherlock Holmes.

To the right of the entrance is the shop where i pick up my ticket. The shop itself is interesting and in keeping with Sherlock's era. There are all sorts of things you can buy but what really catches my eye is the back room where the ceiling is glass (like a conservatory) letting in lots of light and, around the edges there are scenes painted from the many mysteries and cases solved by the famous detective.

Stepping back out on the street i show my ticket to the police officer standing guard at the door to number 221b and notice that he is fact an actor dressed as a police officer. I'm shown in to the narrow hallway and plunged into the museum which has been created inside a typical London terrace and in keeping with Sherlock's late Victorian era.

The first set of rooms are Sherlock Holmes's bedroom and living quarters, upstairs is a Dr Watson's bedroom and Mrs Hudson's living quarters. On the last floor the museum has utilised the rooms to display scenes from Sherlock's cases. There is also an "attic" Victorian bathroom that i managed to squeeze up to.

Sherlock Holmes living room

Sherlock Holmes bedroom

Dr Watson's room

Mrs Hudson's room

The museum is great if you are looking for something different to do around London. Its great in its attention to detail from Sherlock's pipes to the weapons used/found in some of his cases.

If you have read the books, it's a nice insight to what his rooms would  have been like if he was real.

Have you been to this museum? Did you enjoy it?

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