A new £30m visitor attraction has opened its doors to the public in London, UK.
The Wellcome Collection, located at the former headquarters of the Wellcome Trust, builds on the vision, legacy and personal collection of the Trust’s founder, Sir Henry Wellcome.
Comprising more than 1,300 exhibits across three galleries, the attraction brings together the worlds of art, science and history.
Among the 16,000sq m (172,000sq ft) collection are works by artists such as Leonardo da Vinci and John Isaacs, while visitors can also introduce themselves to items ranging from Napoleon’s old toothbrush to an Aztec sacrificial knife and 19th century sex aids.
The attraction will also hold a programme of public events at a designated events space called the Forum, which will bring audiences face to face with prominent experts and personalities from the arts, science and humanities.
The site will also include the Wellcome Library, containing over 2m items and recognized as one of the world’s leading collections for the study of the history and progress of medicine.
Other facilities include a café, a bookshop and a 154-seat auditorium-style conference centre.
Mark Walport, director of the Wellcome Trust, said: “Wellcome Collection will provide a wonderful opportunity for the Trust to entertain, challenge and debate health issues with the public.
“We will use the extraordinary artifacts collected by Sir Henry Wellcome, augmented by our contemporary collections, library services and scientific archives to bring to life a wide range of themes relating to health, wellbeing and disease.”
Clare Matteson, director of the Trust’s historical department, said: “We understand the power of using the arts to engage audiences around issues of human health.
“Since 2002 the trust has awarded £5.5m to original and imaginative arts projects inspired by biomedical science.
“Wellcome Collection combines our experiences with the vision and legacy of Sir Henry welcome to provide a contemporary space that enables people to explore the connections between art and medicine in dramatic and challenging ways.”
