Museum of Human Disease

The Museum of Human Disease was established by Professor Donald Wilhelm, foundation Professor of Pathology at the University of New South Wales. Thanks to his foresight, and to the tireless efforts of Dr S.G. Higgins (Museum Curator of longstanding), the Museum has been meticulously updated and maintained over the years to reflect the changing patterns of disease in our society.

As the structure of Medical Schools have changed, so too have Pathology Museums. The need for a more inviting study area was evident. For many years the Museum, although rich in terms of its history and specimen collection, was simply an area where these specimens only were housed. In order for Museum visits to become attractive, the atmosphere had to change.

Visitors can expect an air-conditioned environment, adequately labelled and catalogued bays, separate special exhibition areas and an interactive Medical Computer Discovery lab. The addition of a Museum Manager, Education Officer and a full-time technical officer has helped with the constant maintenance of the Museum and making public outreach programs possible.