Every museum’s calling card is its exhibition. More than 5,000 people visit our museum every year, with around 250 guided tours.
The museum’s updated and enlarged exhibition was opened after renovation on 8 April 2015. It consists of the following sections:
Section I. The emergence of folk medicine and healing.
Section II. Medicine on the territory of Belarus in the XIII-XVIII centuries (Belarus within the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and Rzeczpospolita).
Section III. Medicine on the territory of Belarus in the XIX-XX centuries (Belarus within the Russian Empire).
Section IV. Medicine in Belarus in Modern Time (1917-1991).
Section V. Medicine in Belarus at the present stage.
The first section “The emergence of folk medicine and healing” consists of materials of archaeological, paleoanthropological and paleopathological research. They allow to judge the physical development of people who lived on the territory of Belarus in ancient times, diseases and ancient healing methods. The section tells about the knowledge and customs aimed at protection of health and about food, dwelling and personal hygiene. A special place in the exposition is occupied by the materials revealing the connection of ancient beliefs and religion with healing.
The exhibits in the section “Medicine on the territory of Belarus in the XIII-XVIIIth centuries” give an idea of the spread of epidemics on the territory of Belarus and measures to prevent contagious diseases. Here you can see surgical aid of barbers, monastic medicine, and help in the hospitals. The central figure in this section is the famous educator and humanist Frantsysk Skaryna, the first doctor of medicine in Belarus. The role of the Hrodna Medical School (academy) and the University of Vilnia in the training of medical personnel is also illustrated. The exhibition introduces visitors to graduates of the medical faculty of the University of Vilnia and other physicians whose work played a significant role in the development of medicine in the region.
The third section “Medicine on the territory of Belarus in the XIX-XXth centuries” demonstrates the characteristic features of medicine of that period: the sanitary-hygienic state of Belarus, the level of population health, the development of anti-epidemic and sanitary business; the organization of pharmacy business; the organization of medical aid to the population; hospitals of the welfare board, regional hospitals, rural medicine; charity for tuberculosis and other diseases; the development of specialized medical aid; the development of medical scientific thought – activity of the medical communities in Belarus, medical congresses, the contribution of Belarusian physicians to the development of national, European and world medicine; medicine during the First World War.
The fourth section “Medicine in Belarus in Modern Time” tells about the formation and development of the Soviet health care system; development of higher medical education; creation of research institutes and development of medical science; shows the history of the trade union movement of Belarus health workers; presents medical workers – Heroes of Socialist Labor of the USSR.
The period of the Great Patriotic War is singled out: the beginning of military operations, the defense of the Brest Fortress, medical and sanitary work in the occupied territory of Belarus; the patriotic and professional activity of medical workers; the organization of medical and preventive treatment in the partisan detachments; colossal damage caused by the war; the restoration of healthcare after the Great Patriotic War. There are medical instruments, military uniforms, printed matter, and awards of medical workers. The visitors can also watch a film which was created on the basis of the materials from the funds of the Belarusian State Archives of Film and Photo Documents about the medicine in Belarus during the Great Patriotic War.
The fifth section “Medicine in Belarus at the present stage” presents materials related to the international cooperation of the Republic of Belarus in the field of health care, the Chernobyl nuclear accident, the activity of the Belarusian Academy of Medical Sciences.
The museum has a rich collection of medical instruments and equipment, as well as pharmacy utensils. Previously it was not possible to present items from these collections widely; in the new exhibition this issue has been resolved by means of a specially organised space, in which the most interesting items are grouped and presented according to their functional purpose.
The opening of the exhibition was timed to coincide with the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Republican Scientific Medical Library.