Picture of health
Exhibitions

A Picture of Health: Exeter's Medical History

New acqui­si­tions form part of an exhi­bi­tion exam­in­ing health and well­be­ing in Exeter from the 18th cen­tu­ry to present day.

In 2019 RAMM acquired a series of portraits of influential early physicians, surgeons and benefactors of the Devon & Exeter Hospital, which opened in 1743, and later became the RD&E. Focusing on the stories and experiences of real people associated with the city’s medical past and including, for the first time, the display of some recently identified medical objects from RAMM’s collections.

From body snatching surgeons, to pioneering use of inoculation and medical statistics, and a revolutionary hip replacement, this exhibition will engage audiences of all ages with a lesser known aspect of Exeter’s rich history, and highlight parallels which have particular contemporary relevance in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.