National Museum of Health & Medicine
This post was supposed to launch yesterday, but I spent longer than expected at a delightful Christmas party, so you will get the post today. A quick content warning: the National Museum of Health & Medicine is dedicated to the preservation of human remains for conducting research and to raise public awareness. I have included two images with human remains at the bottom of the article; there is an extra paragraph of text before these pictures, allowing you space to click away if needed. Additionally, I will be describing human remains, injuries, and medical inventions throughout the post. If you do not enjoy this topic, consider reading one of the many other articles on my blog.
During my trip to Washington, DC, back in July, I had many adventures in Silver Spring, MD, located just north of the capital. These stops included National Park Seminary, religious buildings, and long walks. I also visited the National Museum of Health & Medicine operated by the U.S. Army. As I have previously mentioned on the blog, the campus of National Park Seminary was converted into a military hospital during World War II, and Fort Detrick manages the nearby Forest Glenn Annex. The small but artifact-packed museum includes three rooms open to the public. Before you enter the museum, which won awards for its modernist design, be sure to stop by the LTC Karen J. Wagner Memorial, which honors a health services administrator who died during the attack on the Pentagon on September 11, 2001.
The first room that I visited was called “Anatomy and Pathology”. The exhibit used human remains to demonstrate skeletal development from conception to age six, what healthy organs look like, and how brain injuries affect people. I was impressed by the organization and thoroughness of the exhibits. Each section was neatly labeled and the explanations used clear language. I was curious about how the remains were collected. While soft tissues came from donors who died within the last few decades, the skeletons came from children over a hundred years ago. I would have liked to know more about how the ethics surrounding organ donation has changed, as I imagine early 20th century parents may not have been asked before their babies were put on display.
The largest room was “Collection that Teaches”, which covered over 150 years of Army medical history. The museum started during the Civil War, as huge advancements in medicine were made thanks to military personnel and private citizens, including American Red Cross founder Clara Barton. Remains from this early time period showed horrific injuries and diseases that befell soldiers on both sides of the war. I learned several un-fun facts while in this section. I did not know is that after some amputations, the body will attempt to grow back the bone, causing deformities in neighboring bones to the missing limb. Among the most important artifacts in this exhibit was the bullet that killed President Abraham Lincoln and other items related to medical personnel who attempted to save him. Other interesting artifacts in this section included a case of vintage eyeglasses, models of boats used as hospitals, skulls that had be trepanned or had a hole cut to relieve brain pressure, and a large painting of injured soldiers in World War I. For those who visit during a weekday, a viewing window into a lab space allows visitors to see military medical personnel at work.
The final room had “Advances in Military Medicine” with a special focus on wars in the Middle East. A lengthy documentary explained the process for rehabilitating injured soldiers, including medical interventions, prosthetics, and therapy. The modern artifacts in this exhibit were a stark contrast to earlier instruments from the previous section. Highlights include a piece of floor and equipment from a trauma bay in Iraq, mannequins demonstrating facial reconstruction techniques, and a Lego model built by a rehab patient as part of occupational therapy. As an added bonus, when I returned to the lobby, a docent had a cart of plasticize atypical organs on display. These came from modern organ donors who may have lived a healthy life, never knowing that their organ had an unusual property, such as an extra blood vessel connecting to the kidney. The preserved organs could be held by visitors and were surprisingly light.
The National Museum of Health & Medicine was expertly curated, complete with a friendly and knowledgeable staff. However, this museum is not for everyone. A fellow visitor stage-whispered that he was beginning to feel sick while walking through the museum, and I expect this would be a common reaction for many visitors. If this is an appropriate museum for you, it is open on Wednesday through Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and is always free to the public. The space is physically accessible with decent lighting and some seating. As an added bonus, the parking lot is spacious and located close to a trail entrance, making it a great base for exploring the area. Bathrooms and water bottle fill-up stations are available inside. For those interested in medical history, aspiring to work in the medical field, or already a professional, this is an ideal museum.
Abby Epplett’s Rating System
Experience: 6/10
Accessibility: 8/10