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the story of how we stopped the pain

Anaesthesia Heritage Centre

FreeHidden gem
Marylebone · Regent's Park
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A small, surprisingly fascinating free museum near Regent's Park tracing the history of anaesthesia and pain relief.

Getting there. On Portland Place, a short walk from Regent's Park or Great Portland Street stations.
Free museum
ALWAYS
FREE
Marylebone · Regent's Park
LONDON FREE GUIDE

The lowdown

On grand Portland Place, the Association of Anaesthetists keeps a small free museum dedicated to one of medicine's quiet miracles, the conquest of pain. The collection runs from early ether and chloroform equipment through gas masks and breathing machines to the kit that makes modern surgery survivable.

It sounds dry and is anything but. The objects tell a very human story of bravery, experiment and the moment surgery stopped being torture, and it is all free. A short, thoughtful and genuinely surprising stop for anyone curious about how medicine got here.

Locals only

The insider tip

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Opening can be limited, so check or email ahead before visiting. It is a quick stop, easily paired with a walk in Regent's Park or the free RIBA building nearby on the same street.
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