Dittrick Medical History Center — Attraction in Cleveland

Dittrick Museum Of Medical History in the Allen Memorial Medical Library is filled with a wide, strange and sometimes downright bizzare collection of medical equipment. There is a rather unique and thorough exhibit on birth control through the ages. In the stairwell leading to the museum there are four murals representing the mythological origins of medicine: Asklepios taught by [the centaur] Chiron, Machaon surgeon and son of Asklepios, Asklepios Beloved Physician, Asklepios Greek God of Medicine. Outside the museums operating entrance on Adelbert, the is an historic marker for the Horatio Cyrus & Martha Cozad Ford home, a refuge on the Underground Railroad where freedom seekers were assisted to the dock and passage to Canada, and freedom. The opposite side of the marker recounts David Hudson's contribution to the Underground Railway.and Western Reserve College (originally in Hudson but relocated to Cleveland (1882). In 1854, Frederick Douglass gave the commencement address...

This is an old museum located on the 3rd floor of one of the university buildings. Parking can be a bit tricky, but there are garages nearby. You could certainly get lucky and find street parking too. When you go in the building, you might catch a university lecture in process, but just proceed to the 3rd floor where you’ll find a bizarre and fascinating collection of medical history. I was especially glad to have my daughters with me to see the Percy Skuy Collection on the History of Contraception. Oh my. What women went through at the hands of male doctors for decades is absolutely insane. If you like kitschy museums and medical history you’ll find this a worthwhile stop!...

The Dittrick Museum of Medical History is not a place to visit if you don't have an interest in medical history - but if you do, this is a fantastic experience. The current exhibit is on the history of contraceptives, and it includes a wide range of historical products presented in a interesting way. The museum also has exhibits set up to show how different era's of medical technology would have looked (doctor's offices from one era, from a different era, and so on). The other draw is the rare old books selection. The museum contains originals of interesting, old books that are well illustrated and kept in...