Scotland has been at the forefront of modern medicine since the 18th century and has an extraordinary medical heritage that spans the globe. Breakthroughs in surgery, medicine, treatment of disease, public health and health service technologies have been pioneered in Scotland or elsewhere by people trained here. Today Scotland is still a world leader in medical research and development.

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This rich heritage is reflected in the outstanding and remarkable medical collections held in Scotland’s museums, archives and libraries. The Scotland & Medicine network was formed in 2004 to promote and support these collections and encourage their use by researchers and the general public. Our various activities include providing professional development for our members through training courses, networking events and peer-to-peer support; the connecting of collections through creation of joint promotional material; organising touring exhibitions; and joint research.

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From ancient plant medicines to the latest 3D scanning technologies, we hope you enjoy exploring this site and finding out more about the publically accessible collections that help tell the story of Scotland’s fascinating medical heritage.