Musée des instruments de médecine des hôpitaux de Toulouse
Small museum in the Hôtel-Dieu Saint-Jacques presenting medical and surgical instruments from the 19th and 20th centuries across about a dozen specialties.
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About the museum
The Musée des instruments de médecine was born in 2004 from a collaboration between the Toulouse University Hospital (CHU) and the Ensemble conventuel des Jacobins, with the support of the association Amis de l’Hôtel-Dieu Saint-Jacques and of La Grave. It opened to the public in 2005 in the Espace Jean de Rudelle, at the entrance to the Hôtel-Dieu Saint-Jacques, 2 rue Viguerie, next to the Musée d’Histoire de la médecine.
The collection comes from a holding of several thousand hospital objects, gathered, restored and preserved since 1956, mainly thanks to Dr André Graulle (1927–2006), an anaesthetist at the CHU and the main donor. These objects had been housed since the early 1990s in the former operating theatre of the trauma department, on the third floor of the Hôtel-Dieu, which was freed in 1987 when the last departments moved to the Rangueil and Purpan hospitals.
The route presents instruments and objects from the 19th century to the present day across about a dozen specialties, including pneumology, gynaecology and obstetrics, urology, cardiovascular surgery, anaesthesia, ophthalmology, blood transfusion, radiology, neurosurgery and dentistry. Also on display are everyday devices (sterilisers, microscopes, syringes) and instruments that no longer have a modern equivalent, such as the Wimshurst machine or the Garengeot key.
Highlights
- Instruments and medical and surgical objects from the 19th century to the present day
- About a dozen specialties: anaesthesia, urology, ophthalmology, radiology, and more
- Vanished instruments such as the Wimshurst machine and the Garengeot key
- Display cases on cardiac pacing and asepsis
- Free admission, within the grounds of the Hôtel-Dieu Saint-Jacques
Permanent exhibition
- Collection d'instruments de médecine – Instruments and hospital objects from the 19th century to the present day, presented by medical and surgical specialty.
- Founded
- 2004
- Operated by
- CHU de Toulouse
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
Free admission. Guided tours for groups are charged (CHU guided tour price list, on request).
Accessibility
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Kids & families
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Getting there & parking
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Amenities & dining
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Events & venue rental
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Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Paid guided tours for groups of up to 18 people, by appointment only. The museum is located in the Espace Jean de Rudelle, at the entrance to the Hôtel-Dieu Saint-Jacques. |
