The Old Operating Theatre Museum
The Old Operating Theatre is a unique museum providing a fascinating glimpse into the early days of surgery in the early 1800s
This extremely unusual museum is located up a very narrow flight of stairs inside the garret of St. Thomas's Church which was also the original location of St. Thomas's Hospital. Visitors to this lesser known London attraction find it very intriguing and they highly recommend it. The Old Operating Theatre is one of the oldest operating theatres still in existence. Opened in 1822, the patients were women from the adjoining women's hospital.
Procedures were performed without anaesthetics so they were done as rapidly as possible while the patient was subdued by alcohol or opiates. Later they began to use ether or chloroform. Patients put up with students watching the operation in the Theatre, as they were generally poor, and this allowed them to receive surgery from top surgeons that they could in no way afford otherwise.
Cleanliness was 'sacred', however the risk of death was still very high due to the lack of available treatments for infection and the shock of surgery.
The Operating Theatre closed in 1862 when the hospital was moved to a new location and it remained undiscovered for nearly 100 years until 1957. It opened to the public as a museum in 1962.
The Old Operating Theatre is open daily from 10:30 am to 5:00 pm except for December 15th-January 5th. There is a small admission charge.
This attraction is also close to Shakespeare's Globe Theatre and Tower Bridge so you may want to visit them while in the area.
For more information about the The Old Operating Theatre including admission charges and hours visit their official website.
Facts For Your Visit
Fee: YesOld Operating Theatre Hours:
Opening hours may differ on holidays
- Monday: Closed
- Tuesday: Closed
- Wednesday: Closed
- Thursday: 10:30 AM – 5:00 PM
- Friday: 10:30 AM – 5:00 PM
- Saturday: 10:30 AM – 5:00 PM
- Sunday: 10:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Address: 9a St Thomas St, London SE1 9RY, UK
Phone: 020 7188 2679
Official Website: Old Operating Theatre
Old Operating Theatre Reviews
Rated out of 5
The Old Operating Theatre is a compact museum, but fascinating. As someone interested in medical technology, I couldn’t resist visiting, and it didn’t disappoint. The space is wonderfully preserved and gives a vivid glimpse into how surgery was practiced long before modern equipment and techniques. Gruesome as well :-/
The exhibits are nice, the atmosphere is unique in this small building, and the staff are knowledgeable and kind. It doesn't take long to walk through, but every corner has something intriguing to see. A great stop for anyone curious about the roots of medical innovation.
Joost Mi-Maltha - a month ago
The Old Operating Theatre Museum and Herb Garret is an unforgettable stop for anyone interested in the history of medicine. The preserved surgical theatre and historical instruments create an atmosphere that encourages reflection on how far our profession has come.
As a practicing surgeon and educator, I found it especially meaningful—seeing firsthand the conditions of pre-anesthesia and pre-antisepsis surgery adds powerful context to the principles we teach today.
For any doctor, particularly those in surgery, this museum is a must-visit when in London.
Alan Kleiman - 3 weeks ago
A small museum but it’s lovely. It shows medical devices and some other paraphernalia so be ready for those. Also there’s some stairs to climb on the way up and down. I had booked a ticket but I guess you could buy one upon arrival.
Katrin K - a week ago
You could easily miss this museum as I had walked by it many times and never realised it was there.
The staircase to enter is not for the faint of heart but it leads to a treasure trove of history.
Staff are so informative. There was even an autumn trail for younger visitors to follow around the museum.
Miss NW3 - a month ago
Small but fascinating museum. I bought my ticket upon arrival. It's located at the top of a building that requires you to climb a nearly vertical spiral staircase, so not accessible unfortunately. Even though it's not very big it has a ton to see. A word of warning, there is some mild gore and vivid descriptions about surgical procedures, so be forewarned if you're squeamish about that sort of thing. Otherwise I would highly recommend. Seeing all the old medicine made it worthwhile for me.
MSF - 3 months ago
Directions
| Tube Line | Nearest Station | Walking Time |
|---|---|---|
| Jubilee and Northern Lines | London Bridge Station | 1 MInute |
How to get to Old Operating Theatre by Tube
From London Bridge Station exit onto Borough High Street and walk to your right(north) then immediately right onto St. Thomas Street. The Old Operating Theatre is just ahead to your left on St. Thomas Street.
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Photo Gallery
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Inside the Old Operating Theatre cc licensed photo by Matt From London -
Photo Credit: amandabhslater - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: amandabhslater - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: amandabhslater - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: amandabhslater - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: amandabhslater - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: amandabhslater - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: amandabhslater - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Donnchadh H - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Matt From London - cc license via Flickr
