International Museum of Surgical Science, A Division of the International College of Surgeons

A smaller museum, but the exhibits and information are we'll done. Perhaps a bit expensive for the small size. I liked the vintage posters, and the dioramas showing the way surgery was once taught in med school. The library and pharmacy were nifty too.

The International Museum of Surgical Science in Chicago is an exceptional institution that beautifully traces the evolution of surgery, anaesthesiology, and medical innovation through centuries. The museum houses a fascinating collection of portraits, instruments, manuscripts, and videos that vividly depict the transformation of surgical practice from ancient to modern times. The sections on ophthalmic surgery, gynaecology, and general surgery are particularly well curated, and several displays highlight international collaborations, including surgical developments from Taiwan and other global institutions. The gallbladder stone exhibits and anatomical models are very impressive and educational. The museum’s overall presentation is engaging and thoughtfully arranged, with a souvenir shop that offers quality medical-themed collections for visitors. As an Ayurveda Surgeon trained in Indian Medicine, I was deeply inspired by the museum’s breadth. However, I felt that the exhibits could be further enriched by including a section on ancient Indian surgical science, especially the monumental contributions of Acharya Sushruta (Father of Surgery). His pioneering techniques in general surgery, orthopaedics, plastic surgery, ENT, and obstetrics laid the foundation for many modern surgical principles. Including these aspects would truly make this museum a more global and inclusive representation of surgical heritage. Overall, this museum is a must-visit for students, medical professionals, and anyone interested in the global history of healing and surgery. It was a thoroughly enriching experience, and I highly recommend it to anyone visiting Chicago. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5) ⸻ About the Founder The museum was founded by Dr. Max Thorek (1880–1960), a visionary Hungarian-American surgeon who also established the International College of Surgeons (ICS) in 1935 in Geneva, later headquartered in Chicago. His goal was to foster international cooperation among surgeons and to preserve the history of medical progress. In 1950, the ICS acquired the historic Countiss Mansion on Lake Shore Drive, which became the home of this museum. It officially opened to the public in 1954. Dr. Thorek contributed rare manuscripts, letters, and over 5,000 volumes of medical literature, making the museum one of the world’s finest repositories of surgical heritage. His vision was to enrich humanity’s understanding of surgical development and the healing arts worldwide — a dream that continues to be realized through this remarkable institution. In the same spirit, representing the Ayurvedic surgical tradition of India, I felt proud to see surgery’s universal evolution displayed here — and equally hopeful that future exhibits will also highlight India’s profound contributions through Sushruta and Ayurveda’s surgical legacy.

The museum not big, but packed with information! You can stroll through in less than an hour or you can dive deeper and spend there hours. It’s packed with interesting information. Worth a visit! Ticket price on higher end, but it’s justified.

Informative, interesting, and worthwhile experience. This museum in my opinion is curated and designed for the general public. Lots of general surgical history, displays, and anatomical and medical art. As someone who works in healthcare I did feel that I wanted more. For example, more about specific surgical techniques and how they developed.

This is one of the most interesting museums I’ve been to in Chicago. It’s located in such a beautiful house but the exhibits are so interesting. I was worried it was going to be very gory and while there were parts that were hard to read about, it was very well done. It is very digestible and has a good mix of exhibits and reading material. We spent way too much money in the gift shop but got so much cute stuff. I would definitely recommend this museum to anyone that likes history in pretty much any capacity. Even though it’s about surgical science, they talk about race and politics in regard to the health industry.

Pretty interesting exhibits. Could be done up a bit. The top floor is a mishmash of random stuff which needs a thoughtful redo. The staff interaction was good. In general the exhibits need an update.

Where do I begin?! If you are in any way interested in the human body and healthcare, this is the museum for you! I came with my best friend and 12 year old, and we spent a solid two hours exploring the museum. I’ve been in health care for over 20 years and I still learned so much about how we got to where we are today. Absolutely fascinating museum, that my daughter actually enjoyed and talked about even after we left, something she hasn’t really done with other museums. Definitely check it out!

A very interesting, underrated gem of a museum right by the Chicago lakefront. I will say the ticket price of $18 is quite high, even with a discount. I thought the exhibits were all quite compelling, covering a wide range of medical history and different specialties. The Taiwan and nursing exhibits were my favorites. It is located in a beautiful, older-style building. Multiple floors that require stairs, I do think there is an elevator but you have to ask the attendant to use that.

My visit to Chicago, this most recent go around, was to truly dive into the cultural and architectural experiences the city is pregnant with! The International Museum of Surgical Science was one of many stops in our (my best friend and myself) museum tour of the city. And what can I say! What a great experience! The museum staff were just so completely nice. The beautiful architecture of the museum itself was just magnificent. The history within the museum was fascinating. It was truly interesting see how far medicine and surgical science has evolved over the decades throughout all of history in the world. Though we didn't do a guided tour - which is an option - we did take our time to go through the varying exhibits. The gift shop was also great and if you're big into unique gifts, it's definitely worth paying a visit. Overall, a great experience. As an architectural designer (by profession), I definitely indulged in the overall aesthetic and looks of the museum itself. Also, as a designer of primary healthcare architecture, it was super cool to see equipment I've specified in projects today in their earliest states / design. It's always cool seeing how design in healthcare has evolved. Anyways, definitely pay this museum a visit! It's jam-packed with gems!

As a healthcare professional, I really wanted to like this museum but was slightly underwhelmed. It seems like a waterfront mansion converted into a museum, which is fine, but much of the artwork and sculptures are from the 1950s. Maybe they were commissioned specifically for the museum? I just feel that some displays could have been improved upon. Two rooms were taken up by art installations that seemed out of place in the museum. I also wasn't sure why Taiwan and Japan had their own dedicated rooms. While someone interested in medicinal and healing history might find some value, I can't imagine spending more than an hour here.

This was an interesting museum. The admission is $25 and the place is kind of small. However, you can look at some antiquated surgical tools and artwork. Healthcare workers will probably find this much more intriguing than the general public, general public will most likely spend an hour or less here. Very informative on the history.

So I think my FIRST Yelp Elite event was here! Yikes, those 6 years went fast! Anna K, the Chicago manager at the time (Hi Anna!), recommended this place. It's an odd choice for an exhibit or event, but it's got open spaces, is a beautiful building, but it has very small elevators. The exhibit was Fabrizzio Subia: Año Nuevo (2023). We even chatted with the artist. Despite the large rooms, the event took place in 1 small room, as it featured mounted videos of a 24 hour progression. In some South American countries they mark the new year by celebrating/commemorating the departed by burning things. It's a fascinating concept, and not surprising that the museum chose to feature it, as it deals with death and how we cope with it. I may join their mailing list to see what else is going on there. There was wine and other beverages, but only drinkable on certain floors, so please be careful if you go to a reception.

It's a majestic looking building on the waterfront, which seems oddly residential in character. Tickets were fairly pricey (and I would note that their discounts were for fairly standard things, but there was no favor for us actually in the medical profession, though I am certainly not a surgeon). A reasonable question for someone who's actually been through medical school and residency is whether this museum has anything new for us. Fortunately, the answer is yes. The museum construes surgery broadly, with exhibits on several niche specialties and on the history of X-rays while I was visiting. I underestimated the international aspect of the museum, but Japan and Taiwan got a fair amount of special coverage for some reason. Much of the museum contained historical intrigue like early radiation pioneers giving themselves cancer, which is the sort of thing that actual medical schools tend to avoid talking about. There were also some interesting artistic endeavors, including someone's take on antidepressant-induced synesthesia, and a long set of videos showing a chronic pain patient editing some stock photos of people crying out in pain, using fancy machine learning techniques to remove any trace of suffering. Some aspects of the museum were depressingly affected by contemporary ideological points that don't belong here or anywhere else, really. There was enough actual museum to be worth spending over an hour for me and it was an interesting, if imperfect experience.

If you are interested in medicine or surgery, this is the place for you. This museum details the history of surgery ranging from the tools that were used 100+ years ago, contains statues of people important to modern medicine and surgery, details regarding surgery related to wars, and much more. One person that caught my eye was Ignaz Semmelweis who was known for his contribution to operative hand washing which seems pretty relevant nowadays. The admission pricing is as followed (as of June 2022): - General admission ($18) - Students, educators, military, and seniors 65+ ($14) - Children 4-13 ($10) - Children 3 and under (free) The museum also highlighted certain countries and their health care systems such as Taiwan and Japan. From amputation kits, X-rays, paintings, and an apothecary on the bottom floor, the museum is not huge but there is a lot to read about. If you're in the northern part of Chicago near Lincoln Park, I suggest making a stop here.

This is certainly a niche museum, but if you have an appreciation for science or medicine, you'll have a great time visiting this museum! I appreciate that they participate in Museums for All, so individuals with EBT cards can receive free admission. Otherwise, discounts are available for students and seniors. You purchase your tickets in the gift shop which is full of all kinds of neat gifts. The museum itself is in a beautiful old building. The library was my favorite part of my tour. While you walk around the building, you can enjoy many exhibits on the history of surgical science. If you're anything like me, the horrifying displays will make you very thankful for modern medicine!

I was under the impression this was going to be a museum dedicated to the world of surgery and surgical instruments based on the name. This museum is incredibly disorganized and has many displays completely unrelated to surgery. The descriptions of items were very poorly written as well as displayed. The admission is $25 which it is perhaps a $5 value. If you decide to waste your time here, please do yourself a favor and purchase your ticket off of groupon. -Surgical Technologist/Surgical FA

Absolutely loved this museum. It's one of those little hidden gems. There are multiple floors to explore. The Hall of Immortals on Level 2 includes statues of many physicians and scientists who have made lasting contributions to medicine, from the first-known physician Imhotep to Marie Curie. The fourth floor contains an art gallery that changes periodically. I did not think an art gallery dedicated to medical art existed. My favorite piece was a painting called I Always Hear Something (Tinnitus V2) from an artist impacted by military-gained tinnitus. The gallery is truly wonderful, definitely check it out. This isn't a museum with dusty history books, it's a massive collection of history, tools, technology, art, and more of a variety of medical fields, ophthalmology, radiology, pathology, gynecology, orthopedics, and more. There is a mobile app you can download--highly recommend--that includes a map and special "Tour" option, allowing you to learn more about, for example, Black Medical Pioneers and Pioneering Women in Medicine. For such a beautiful, well-curated museum, you would never know it is run by a very small staff. The dedication and care of the team is apparent in each of the exhibits. Definitely a must-see museum. From apothecaries to X-rays, medical murals to Napoleon's death mask, you don't have to be a certain age or in medicine to love this place; there is something for everyone here.

Most jank museum visit I've ever had, and I've visited a lot of museums. This is the first time I've had an experience so bad that I had to leave a review. We went on October 30th, and it's very obvious they had some sort of Halloween event going on, just not during the regular museum hours. This made our museum experience VERY poor however, as there were decorations strewn all over the place in very haphazard ways. It seems they used velvet and satin cloths to cover the cases for their event and then placed candelabras on top, but they didn't care enough to move these away for museum guests, they just pushed them back enough for you to see somewhat. Decorations and curtains covering the plaques describing the items in the cases partially or entirely. A lot of cases were completely missing plaques so you couldn't tell what anything inside was. I found a pile of plaques in a corner and pulled one out so I could put it by the X-Ray Shoe Fitter machine and read how it was used! There were mobile bars in many of the rooms (shown in the first picture) and the room they have a bunch of statues in had a very sticky floor from whatever event, and still had a stage set up that was blocking some of the statues and plaques. Also in the first picture, behind the bar and behind trash cans and other things to wade through are several exhibit cases hiding back there. There was nothing wrong with them, just obvious they needed them out of the way for the event and didn't care enough to put them back out for museum guests. The $20 ticket price point would be pretty pricey even if this museum was in tip top shape but this was just a super odd and disappointing experience as someone who is very interested in museums and history, especially medical history. To me, it seems the museum management is more focused on hosting events here and having it function as a venue instead of running an actual museum. I'd skip this one because of the hefty price point regardless if they clean up the decorations in a week or two. Very unprofessional.

This museum is small but they have a great selection of artwork and artifacts that depict the history of Surgery. My favorite display was the iron lung that was used for kids with polio. I also really enjoyed reading about the use of chloroform as a form of anesthesia, prior to this doctors would perform surgeries and amputations without anesthesia. They also had a cool replica of an Apothecary pharmacy. Regular admission is $18 for adults, they have lower prices for students and seniors. If you're into learning about the evolution of medicine this is a great museum.

Great trip in history. Top floor even pays homage to nurses and assistants. Definitely worth a trip. History of house is also fun.

Amazing. So many locals have heard of this place but haven't made it out. I'm so very glad they're part of the Museum for All program so it's accessible to me. I absolutely adored the trepanation skulls and got these little 3D printed earrings from the gift shop as a souvenir. I immensely enjoyed all the skulls and was shocked at how many human skulls there was and i loved the details on trepanation and glasses! It was a really interesting place and I'm really glad I got to stop by.

I was at this museum several years ago, and I went by myself (my husband was at a conference, and I spent a few days entertaining myself around Chicago). I am one of those people who is quite interested in things that could be considered "macabre," and some of the things in this museum qualify, as surgical science and medicine in general in past centuries have been slightly intense. One of my favorite things in the museum was the section about shoes... did you know that people used to get their feet x-rayed right in the shoe store, which exposed the staff to the radiation all the time? It wasn't even that long ago! So crazy. Anyway, I recommend checking this place out - it's not your average museum, and I would definitely go back next time I'm in Chicago.

I've been to so many of the museums in Chicago over and over so it was really cool to visit a new one. Really liked the artwork in here and enjoyed learning some new things. Really cool experience!

This isn't a flashy museum of science and industry but if you're interested in medicine and science and the history of surgery throughout the ages (which can be a bit intense) this is a great place to visit. If they are doing any demos (like amputation of legs during the civil war) I definitely recommend. Even the elevator is a cool relic!

Kind of simple got this on Groupon and it was nice for the price. Short but good and worth a visit if in the area.

First and second floors were cool, third was eccentric. Everyone in my friend has a background in the humanities and are now physicians, so we thoroughly enjoyed the history and the art work the museum offered. Off the beaten path but would absolutely recommend to any medical professional in the area.

Being a science/medical nerd, I had to fit this into my itinerary during my week-long visit in Chicago. This was a little out-of-the-way, so my husband and I rented a car for the day to visit this museum. There is no parking for the museum, but their website helps provide 3 parking addresses nearby that gives "discounted" parking rates if you get your ticket validated at the museum. We chose one of the condominium lots, which was just about a block or two away, and paid about $12 for the 1-2 hour stay at the museum. It was valet, so just make sure you don't leave anything valuable in the car. When we arrived at the museum, we noticed there was really loud bass music coming from the direction of the lakefront. I found it kind of annoying and still heard it while inside the museum. That aside, we found the museum to be charming as it was not as large and "official" as something like The Art Institute, and retained a cozy, history feel to it. It resembled our experience the Pharmacy Museum in New Orleans and the like. Surprisingly, my husband REALLY enjoyed his time here and found a lot of the stories engaging and interesting. Instead of just providing us with information via lectures, he found it fun that we were told stories about a surgeon and how he discovered xyz. Our favorite exhibit was the digestive room as we found that discovery story very intriguing, and we have had our fair share of digestive issues! There are 4 floors here with a self-guide via QR code at the lobby. I just used that for my stay and briefly checked it at the beginning of each level to see what topics I can expect. We spent about 1.5 hours or so here and strolled around the gift store at the end of our visit. We also got our parking ticket validated at the front desk there. Instead of purchasing through their website, we purchased a 2 ticket deal from Groupon that was running at this time. For the price we paid, I think it was well worth the visit. We could see how medical students, in particular, would find this museum even more fascinating. It is often fun to see names of our forefathers, or of significant figures of whom we've learned about in our field of study. I highly recommend giving this museum a visit if you are anything near interested in medicine, surgery, anatomy, or of similar topics!

I went by myself in January and there was only one other visitor! I spent 5 hours soaking in the history, displays, art, books, and sculptures. The staff is super friendly and knowledgeable, and the mansion is in front of the water. For a medical/nurse nerd, this is the best museum I have ever visited :)

As a scientist and someone who was originally on the path to be a surgeon before I got season tickets to the Bulls and Lyric Opera, I have always wanted to visit this place. The museum itself is comprised of four floors within an Lake Shore Drive. It is a fascinating collection of old time relics of medicine dating back as far as roman/prehistoric times. artifacts, paintings, illustrations, murals, and sculptures. It showcases how treatments, discoveries, and successes were done that eventually lead to modern medicine is applied today.Definitely makes you appreciate modern medicine. Man I saw the early birthing and GN-OBY equipment and let me tell ya, I would not have had a baby had I saw that stuff. Oddly enough, the museum is not just focused on surgical procedures/techniques. There was a whole section on the third floor devoted to Japanese medical. The death mask of Napoleon was also no display....cool, but creepy, but way cool. Honestly, I am surprised not more people died during medical care. Definitely worth a visit if you are into science/medicine and totally cool if you are into the macabre and want to see how it was all done before Obama care.

Literally the coolest museum I have ever been to. I was so captivated by the exhibits and information and paintings and it was the highlight of my trip. An absolute must visit.

The museum was actually a mansion right off lakeshore drive so I definitely would never know if it wasnt for Yelp, so thanks I'm a nurse so it so interesting do see the evolution of healthcare and its progression This is also a bust of Florence Nightingale who is a symbolic as one of the pioneers in nursing that was so inspiring to see

Going to school in the medical field, or just Interested in the history of Surgical Science? Then this museum is a must for you! I did not even know of it's existence until I was invited to a private VIP after hours event here. This is "North America's only museum devoted to surgery". Located on Lake Shore Drive in an architecturally gorgeous former mansion, with a breathtaking view of Lake Michigan, it is easy to pass by without knowing what a treasure of a museum awaits inside. When you enter the foyer, you are taken back to the early 1900's when the mansion was built, and marvel at the Italian marble, brass fixtures, stone fireplaces, limestone statues, and gilded metal staircase that have been preserved for us. The museum is 4 floors of Surgical artifacts, paintings, illustrations, murals, and sculptures. It is a museum dedicated to early treatments, discoveries, and successes that have led to how modern medicine is applied today. Make sure to visit the Early American Apothecary, the hall of statues, the eyeglass exhibit, the iron lung (this blew my mind) ,and the rare books display in the former study. There are also a lot of artifacts in cases such as amputation kits, and early x-ray machines. Don't miss the Nursing exhibit, it is an awesome tribute to the Nursing profession. There are paintings and murals throughout that depict some of the early practices of surgical medicine. Make it a point to read the large plaques that are installed on the walls behind the exhibits, they make it easy and more enjoyable to understand with all the information that they supply.

Pros: Quaint little museum, with a lot of interesting artifacts and tools. Learned a lot about out surgical history. Definitely enjoyed this offbeat museum. Cons: I wish the wall displays that describe the paintings/tools weren't simply sheets of paper taped to a wall, it made the museum look cheap. I also wish they had audible self guided tours, I feel it always completes the experience. I would recommend it to any friends in health science, but will not return. I feel it's a one time thing for me, but glad I did it.

Definitely check out Groupon before you go! We got two admission tickets for $13, way less than the price of one. Which...was great because I don't think I would have enjoyed paying $34 for two. It's a relatively small museum, take maybe an hour or two to get through. It's small, niche, and you can see some really cool stuff. We're both in the medical field so we enjoyed nerding out and it related to us a lot. Learning about the history of things like radiation, surgery - obvi - and the founding fathers of medicine was a great way to spend the afternoon. Biggest con was definitely the heat as you ascended the stairs. It was HOT August day outside, which made it super hot up on the top floor, so we spent maybe a few minutes up there. Additionally, I wish there was a little more information to why there were exhibits dedicated to Japanese and Taiwanese physicians. It was cool...just felt random.

Interesting for people who have lots of scientific knowledge. Kind of meh ok if none. I kind of enjoyed it, creepy. Trephinated skulls were best

Wonderful museum, just a mile away from me. To think that there were surgeries performed before anesthesia is just painful. Also, to think that watching surgeries is a point of interest/ form of entertainment not too long ago is kinda scary. Enjoyed knowing the history of pain, surgery, anesthesia. The movie about mastectomy survivors getting tattooed by David Allen made me cry. Just so beautiful. Thanks to all the wealthy surgeons who set this up so commoners like me can visit for free. Props to you, doctors!!! Enjoyed the Yelp elite event at Surgical museum! Wonderful wine and starters!

Very interesting statues, information and gift shop. Would highly recommend if you have a few extra hours. Don't forget to ask about parking validation.

I visited the museum for the first time a couple of weeks ago. I had a great time. There is so much to learn at IMSS. Please visit and learn the histories of surgery. I'll be visiting again later this year because there's more for me to see.

This is definitely a small, niche museum, but it's a reasonable entry fee, and you can see some really neat stuff. I'm in the medical field, so it was maybe a little more relatable to me. You can see skulls that have undergone lobotomies, Napoleon's death mask, and ginormous gallstones. There are multiple works of art depicting early surgical procedures. There are also sculptures of surgical and healthcare pioneers as well as surgical tools. This is not a fancy museum with tons of multi-media exhibits or bells and whistles. It is unique and off the beaten path and is worth a look if you're interested in the medial field, the bizarre or unusual, or just looking for something quirky to do one day.

What a wonderful space! Would love to host an event some day at this location. Everything was wonderfully laid out. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and entertaining. Overall a wonderful experience. Thanks Anna for adding me. The food and drinks were nice. Lots of newbies. Had fun meeting folks and discussing all the gross anatomy stuff. As far as yelp elite events go. This one was top notch. They really hit it out of the field. Yes. Huge baseball fan. I'm a little bitter that baseball ended for me that night. Oh well. My team will be back next spring. All in all, a nice event. Thanks again.

This is a remarkable museum with many interesting exhibits & paintings of medical/surgical topics. We had a guided tour & the docent was knowledgeable, friendly, & encouraged us to ask questions. I'm a nursing instructor & recommend students of any health profession to visit this gem. Plus the general public who want to learn about medical history.

The lack of parking kind of ruined the trip. Website stated 2 local parking options both of which were closed to the public (a nearby condo's underground parking, and the architecture museum which said "staff only"). All street parking within a 2 mile radius is all permit only. May be best just to take the train and walk if your visiting from outside the city.

Such a fun and interesting experience, especially if you have any interest/background in healthcare. As a nurse it was a cool activity and they even had a section for nursing. A bit of a niche activity but well worth it!

This is my second time visiting the International Museum of Surgical Science, and I have enjoyed myself both times. Its located in an old mansion with a beautiful view of Lake Shore Drive. This museum appears small on the outside, but it is filled with tons of interesting artifacts, pictures, paintings, medical instruments, etc. I was pleasantly surprised when I got to take a tour of the museum and learn the history behind it. The pictures and the ancient medical instruments were very interesting and education, and it showed how far humans have come in advancements in science and medicine. I enjoyed viewing the old skulls and the paintings a lot! This museum is perfect for anyone that loves to learn about history! I definitely recommend it. Tuesdays are Free Admission to Illinois Residents with a valid Illinois ID or other proof of residency.

If I could give this museum 6 stars, I would! So let me start by saying my boyfriend and I are huge science and medicine geeks and this was right up our alley. I just recently moved here and had been told by my co-workers that this place wasn't that great as it was a bit older and not as luxurious or fancy as some of the other museums (like science museum) Chicago had to offer. I was a bit disappointed to hear that, but decided to go ahead and take him anyway. It was our anniversary, we love this kind of stuff. All I can say was this museum does NOT disappoint. I will say though that it only applies if you are actually thrilled by medical peculiarities and history, and if you can appreciate aged things that have not been touched by modernity. If you are looking for high-end, fancy, modern, state-of-the art equipment, go to the science museum or somewhere else. History is history and this museum has troves of hidden gems that are very well preserved. I will start with the building itself- many people have complained about it on here, but I don't understand why. It's a gorgeous four-story mansion that is right on Lake Shore Drive. I was so pleased that we could take a bus right from near my house to literally the front steps. It's a gorgeous mansion and there's even an exhibit inside about its history as a home that has now been restored into this museum. Price- I have heard people also complaining that it's $17. I believe $13 with a student ID, which the lady gave us even though I had forgotten mine that day. It does cost money, about the price of 1 nice meal + tip or three of your weekly coffees. However, they have to keep people employed there? Being a museum of surgery and medicine, the foot traffic may not be as heavy as some of the more mainstream museums. This is pretty understandable price-wise but if that's too much, go on Tuesdays when it's free to residents! Anyway- the exhibits floored us. It was above and beyond. There were bodily extracted stones, wound and burn repair, old x-ray history, models of anatomy viewing rooms, bizarre medical conditions photographed, old surgical procedures like old-fashioned child birth and trephination. There are rooms dedicated to iron lungs from the polio era, old opthalmology machines, nursing, even dentistry. They have a beautifully done-up apothecary and tons of exhibits on crazy things that happened as side effects of medicine that was not well-researched or practices that ended up being dire. A beautiful library with preserved book I would love to get my hands on, not to mention it overlooks the lake, monuments to some of the scientific and medical greats.. the list honestly goes on. They also have a cute little gift shop at check in with some geeky items. Overall, this place is what it is. Amazing. Yes some of the exhibits have a printed out piece of paper on the wall rather than a gold-encrusted description embossed with jewels and rubies. BUT, if you're genuinely interested in the history of science and absorbing some amazing information all while overlooking lake shore drive and rummaging through a beautiful historic mansion, go ahead and stop by. You will not regret it!

This place was awesome and a great place to hit up for anyone interested in the history of medicine. We came over after reading about the place on Yelp and loved the experience! I'm actually kind of baffled with how anyone who has any interest in medicine could not love this place! A cool 15 bones to enter is totally worth you time. You're greeted at a little gift shop where plush organs and hilarious anatomy themed lapel pins are at your fingertips! We got one for my dentist sister that had gansta teeth saying "Flossin isn't just for rappers"...Classic But onto, the museum. Four total floors of surgical history bliss are at your beck and call. The old school apothecary model room was pretty sweet and gave a glimpse into all the garbage that people were sold for a long time. The Hall of Immortal and Hall of Murals were two of the coolest rooms I've ever been in. Life size marble statues of medical greats was like being in a Lord of the Rings scene for this Urology resident! The hall of murals had some incredible art and was just plain awesome. The stone exhibit was great and there were a dozen or so rooms with a broad range of historical exhibits that we found fascinating. Not a great place to come with young kids and easy to get through in 60-90 minutes. One of the cooler places we've seen and one medical peeps will love!

I loved coming here ! Free admission to residents on Tuesday, I would hesitate to come here and pay the full price admission but I'm glad I got to see it for free. It's a museum on the smaller size but being a science and medical nerd, I ADORED all the show rooms with ancient tools and various equipment like rusty stir-ups. The pain and anesthesia throughout time was also one of the coolest rooms and the library here is gorgeous. They host wedding events and it is my dream to get married here, but I'm afraid it would creep out my traditional family members :P Definitely stop here on a Tuesday. They also host some evening private events for around $25/ticket.

This is an interesting museum. I wasn't sure what to expect, although I think I was envisioning specimens in jars and whatnot. Instead, it is about the history of surgery/medicine. There is lots of great info, pictures of old equipment and depictions of procedures. It is very neat. If you go, be sure to ride the elevator, it is an old style and really cool!

Had a wonderful time exploring one of the many museums Chicago had to offer outside of the museum campus. The museum itself was converted from a mansion and spans 2 floors. So it's pretty small compared to the typical museums you're used to at the museum campus downtown. However, it has plenty of content and artifacts to learn about! You can definitely see how far medical technology has come.

I'll get this out of the way first thing: I wish this museum had more oddities. Yep, I said it. I thought when I came here this would be a place full of preserved things in jars and what have you. It really wasn't that at all. However, this museum is really cool and a bit of a hidden gem in Chicago. I have lived here my whole life and hadn't really heard of this museum until a few years ago. We decided to visit around Christmas one year and we were not disappointed. There's a parking lot nearby that isn't specifically for the museum but you can find it on SpotHero and save a few bucks. You'll have to walk at least two blocks from wherever you park so keep that in mind (it was about 10 degrees when we made the trek so it kind of sucked). They have a coat room once you arrive so you don't have to walk around with your stuff once you arrive. There was a lot of signage that was easy to read and follow throughout the space. There was history of the property and each room was dedicated to some different aspect of surgery and surgical science throughout history. There was a great exhibit on war nurses (and nursing in general) and an interesting space full of old surgical equipment (and explanations of how they were used). My favorite exhibit was the room full of old medicines used to treat all kinds of ailments. Most of the stuff was full of either alcohol or cocaine (or both mixed together) and there was even a product called "asthma cigarettes." Seems legit. I love seeing all kinds of crazy old timey products for treating things like being a lady. Definitely worth a visit. I've noticed that they've started hosting events throughout the year that include looks at exhibits, guided tours, and other fun things around holidays (especially Halloween). They seem to include food and drinks with the tickets and the museum stays open late so it could be fun to check out.

I was there for a yelp elite event. The museum closed up for us. It was pretty cool building. There is a few parking behind the building for visitors. I don't know the rate though. They have 4 floors and it's very cool for anyone from the medical field or interested in medicine. But might not be a good place for those scared of blood. We had a guided tour and it is pretty informative and worth to try. Evolution of modern anesthesia, X-Ray, and mechanical ventilation are interesting. It's a small but worth a visit.

I got to visit this museum since it's part of the Open House Chicago event. I loved walking through the rooms especially the library. The content of the musuem is so interesting since it's a museum dedicated to surgery. The exhibits here are not that greusome, so it is acceptable to bring anybody here.

I highly recommend checking out this museum if you are in the area, or simply looking for a museum that is different from most of the bigger ones in Chicago. The museum isn't located super close to a ton of restaurants, but is pretty close to some of the bus lines. Most children might find this museum to be more on the boring side, but teens and adults that are interested in science/the surgical field will find this museum interesting. The building that the museum is housed in is beautiful inside and out. The rooms of museum are located over multiple levels, and there is plenty to read and see. This museum does a great job of showing visitors how far science and the surgical field has come over the course of history. I would set aside a minimum of 1.5 hours to get through the museum, but most people might need more in order to get the full experience.

Always love visiting this place. Especially, when The McCallan host there whisky tasting event. Great music, snacks, and culture. I Can't wait for the next event.

I loved this museum! This is an affordable museum on a nursing student's budget like I. The walk from the train was well worth it as you see the beautiful homes near Lake Shore Drive. If you do not have a medical background or interest in surgery this may not be for you.There is an incredible exhibit on nurses on the 4th floor that made the admission worth it. I learned so much on the history of blood transfusions and wound care. I look forward to returning and more exhibits.

Very informative, nicely put together. I like the room where you can read books and become more familiar with the body and it's functions. Maybe Friday's are Free, or just this one, that was a bonus. Regular admission is $17, or you can purchase a Groupon 2 for $18 or $15.63. There is also no parking. Most of the area is permit parking, if it weren't winter that wouldn't be a problem. I parked a mile away, took an Uber. They also have free self coat check, they really want to make sure nothing weighs you down. Be prepared for a barrage of info. Kudos!!!

It has some cool things to see but $17 to get in is high for what it is. The staff is welcoming and the building clean. I don't know what I expected but I thought there might be more there than what is. Worth checking out, especially if you're in the medical profession. We purchased our tickets on Groupon so look into that. They also do a student discount for $13.

One of the most original, vibrant, and lesser-known museums in Chicago. Great exhibits on the history of pharmacy, lenses and spectacles, x-rays and anesthesia, and dissection and anatomy. Download the app from the iPhone App Store to enhance your experience and learn more facts from the ones presented in the exhibits. Definitely recommend it, just don't go with anyone squeamish.