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Mobile Medical Museum: A Journey Through Healing History

Explore 300 years of medical history in Mobile, Alabama, from antique surgical tools to cutting-edge technology, in the historic Vincent-Doan House.

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Explore three centuries of medical history at the Mobile Medical Museum, housed in the historic Vincent-Doan House. Discover fascinating artifacts, from Civil War surgical tools to a 1969 heart-lung machine, showcasing Mobile's significant role in medical education and public health on the Gulf Coast.

A brief summary to Mobile Medical Museum

Local tips

  • Check the Mobile Medical Museum's website or call ahead for information on special exhibits and events.
  • Allow at least 1.5-2 hours to fully explore the museum's exhibits and grounds.
  • Consider visiting on a Friday at 2 pm for a free group tour with admission.
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Getting There

  • Driving

    The Mobile Medical Museum is located on the campus of USA Children's and Women's Hospital on Springhill Avenue. From downtown Mobile, head west on Springhill Avenue. Turn into the main entrance of the hospital. Take the first left into the parking lot, passing the Ronald McDonald House on the right. The museum is at the end of the driveway behind the parking lot. Parking is free.

  • Public Transport

    The Wave Transit System Route 4 (Springhill) stops near the Mobile Infirmary, a short walk from the USA Children's and Women's Hospital. From the Infirmary, walk west along Springhill Avenue to the hospital entrance, then follow the driving directions. A single ride fare is $1.25.

  • Taxi/Ride-Share

    A taxi or ride-share from downtown Mobile to the Mobile Medical Museum will typically cost between $10 and $15, depending on traffic and surge pricing. Request to be dropped off at the main entrance of USA Children's and Women's Hospital on Springhill Avenue.

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Discover more about Mobile Medical Museum

The Mobile Medical Museum, located in the Lyons Park area of Mobile, Alabama, offers a unique glimpse into the evolution of healthcare over the past 300 years. Founded in 1962 by Dr. Samuel Eichold II, the museum preserves and exhibits medical artifacts and archives, commemorating Mobile's vital role in medical education and public health along the Gulf Coast. Housed since 2004 in the Vincent-Doan House, one of Mobile's oldest extant homes dating back to 1827, the museum provides a tangible link to the past. The building itself adds to the atmosphere, offering a glimpse into the lives of those who lived and practiced medicine in earlier times. The museum's permanent exhibit showcases over 300 years of local and world medical history, from the colonial period through the present. Visitors can examine pre-Civil War anatomical models used for teaching, early 20th-century X-ray equipment, and a functioning 1969 heart-lung machine. An Emerson model iron lung from the 1930s serves as a reminder of the challenges posed by the polio epidemic and the importance of vaccination. The museum also organizes special exhibits in the Mary Elizabeth and Charles Bernard Rodning Gallery, as well as at various offsite locations throughout Mobile. Other popular exhibits include a larger-than-life papier-mache anatomical model from the Medical College of Mobile, Civil War medical tools, and two skeletons that are over 120 years old. The Robert Thrower Medicinal Garden highlights multicultural traditions of herbal medicine practiced around the world for thousands of years. The museum's J.L. Bedsole Archives and Ben May Library contain rare books, letters, documents, and photographs available to students and scholars by appointment.

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