Royal College of Physicians Museum

The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) is the oldest medical college in England. Its collections relate to the history of the College, and to the physician's profession.

Collections range from portraits, providing a pictorial and sculptural record of presidents, fellows and other physicians associated with the RCP, from its foundation in 1518 to the present, the fascinating Symons collection of medical instruments, and the Hoffbrand collection of apothecary jars.

Highlights from the collections include William Harvey's demonstration rod, the RCP silver-gilt mace and six 17th century anatomical tables.

The RCP building is itself notable. It was built by Denys Lasdun in 1964 and has since been recognised as a building of national importance through its Grade I listing.

The archive has the complete RCP annals, its founding charter, and papers of leading medical figures, whilst the library includes 30,000 books printed pre-1900, over one hundred incunables and the first book printed in the English language, in 1473. These collections can be accessed by appointment.

Visit www.rcplondon.ac.uk/museum-garden for more information.

Contact Us

Royal College of Physicians Museum
11 St. Andrews Place
Regent's Park
London NW1 4LE
Tel. 020 3075 1543 / 020 3075 1510
Fax. 020 7486 3729

Visitor Information

Opening Hours
Mon-Fri 9:00-17:00, Closed bank holidays.
Free entry (max group size 6 persons).

Access
Wheelchair access throughout.
Enter at the side of the building.

Archive/Historic Library by appointment only.

Guided tours may be booked (£5 per head) for groups, min 6 persons.

Other services
Picture Library for RCP images.
Enquiry service for RCP and medical history.
Loans of items to other museums.

Euston Station
Regent's Park, Great Portland Street, Warren Street
18, 27, 30, C2, 135

Exhibitions

Current exhibition
'Draughtsmanship dissected – the genius of Peter G. Cull'
14 January - 12 April 2013, free entry

Peter Cull (1927-2012) was a consummate medical artist, visionary, intellectual, educator, mentor, colleague, humourist, friend and devoted family man.

In this celebration of Peter Cull’s life and work, reproductions of his inimitable paintings will be displayed. Cull created appealing renderings of accurately depicted anatomy, with a hint of the fantastic: vibrant, informative, relevant.

Touring exhibition
'Re-framing disability': portraits from the Royal College of Physicians
27 October - 27 January 2013 - Thackray Museum, Leeds
25 June - 28 August 2013 - West Sussex (part of the Speaking Up For Disability Project)

This award-winning exhibition explores historical portraits of disabled people held within the Royal College of Physicians' collection.

It also includes the voices of 27 disabled participants from across the UK, who came together to discuss the historical portraits and their own identities and lives.

Tell Us About Your Visit

Why be closed in august 27 August 2009

Why be closed in august i want to come now and see the place what a pity i only found out this month and have to wait a whole month to go there and see it try to stay open like other museums if you have to close for whatever reason for a whole month try and use a month thats not busy from the public use ok

RCP opening hours explanation: 15 September 2009

As well as displaying our museum, archive and historic library collections, the RCP is a multi-purpose office building and venue, hosting membership ceremonies, events and conferences. These core activities can sometimes limit our public opening times. The RCP closes during August to allow maintenance and cleaning of our Grade 1 listed building as this is the low season for conferences but we constantly aim to improve access and will update our website if August visiting is available in future. Emma Shepley, Curator, Royal College of Physicians Museum

museum 25 August 2012

Be great to know when you are planning the anrrsenvaiy events so we can keep our diary free! We'll miss the Friends event in December as we've got a book launch on in Bath, but will be sending some copies of our latest for the library.Glad to see the Museum doing so well.