Lambotte Museum

About the museum

The museum’s origins lie with the Instituut voor de Geschiedenis van de Geneeskunde (Institute for the History of Medicine), founded in 1992 at what was then the Universitaire Instelling Antwerpen (University Institution Antwerp). From this grew the idea of an Antwerp museum on the history of healthcare, which a working group began to investigate in 1997. In 1998 an association followed for the museum preservation of medical heritage in Antwerp. In 2004 the vzw Museum van de Geschiedenis van de Gezondheidszorg was founded.

The museum was housed in one of the former round patient wards of the Stuivenberg Hospital. It is also called the Lambotte Museum, after Dr Albin Lambotte (1866-1955), an internationally renowned orthopaedic surgeon at the Stuivenberg Hospital who pioneered the treatment of bone fractures and designed numerous instruments. Because the hospital has closed, the exhibitions now take place at other locations.

The collection consists mainly of objects from the 19th and 20th centuries, with a number of pieces from the 16th century. All medical specialisms are covered. The collection of anaesthesia objects is particularly extensive; it is on loan from the Vereniging van Antwerpse Anesthesisten (Association of Antwerp Anaesthetists) and is considered one of the largest in Western Europe. Part of the collection is on loan from the OCMW Antwerpen (Antwerp Public Centre for Social Welfare).

Highlights

• One of the largest anaesthesia collections in Western Europe, on loan from the Vereniging van Antwerpse Anesthesisten
• Instruments and devices of Dr Albin Lambotte, pioneer of osteosynthesis
• Medical objects and instruments from the 19th and 20th centuries, with some pieces from the 16th century
• Exhibition Caritas en Ars Medica on the sick, illnesses and care institutions in Antwerp through the centuries

Operated by

vzw Museum van de Geschiedenis van de Gezondheidszorg

Admission & discounts

Accessibility

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Kids & families

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Getting there & parking

The exhibition space at Heilige Geeststraat 21 is in the historic centre of Antwerp and, according to the museum, is easy to reach by public transport or by car.

Amenities & dining

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Events & venue rental

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