RCP museum

Discover the RCP's 500-year-old collection of artefacts and artwork at our Regent's Park HQ.

Explore the museum

We look forward to welcoming you to explore more than 500 years of medical history in our iconic building in the heart of London.

We are usually open to visitors Monday to Friday, 9am - 5pm and until 8pm at our monthly Museum Lates. Visiting is free for up to five people at a time. Groups of six+ should  attend one of our monthly free taster tours or book a guided tour via history@rcp.ac.uk.

The RCP Museum is closed on public bank holidays, the month of August for maintenance and conservation work, and for RCP major events and ceremonies. Please check the RCP museum website for details before planning your visit.

Located in the RCP's Grade I-listed 'modernist masterpiece', our museum collections have been gathered over five centuries since our foundation by Royal Charter of Henry VIII in 1518. When visiting look out for our:

portraits and silver, which are displayed throughout the building
fascinating Symons collection of artefacts which would have been used by physicians and for self-care in the home
Prujean chest of 17th century surgical instruments
extraordinary set of 17th-century human remains - John Finch's anatomical tables which give a fascinating insight into dissection and discovery in anatomy

Find out more

Exhibitions and guided tours

Through our museum, archive and rare book collections, our exhibitions bring to life the rich history of medicine, the Royal College of Physicians and what it means to be a doctor today and in the past.

Our current exhibition

'Fortitude: Healthcare workers’ experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic'

In January 2021 the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) museum created a survey to collect and record the experiences of RCP members and other healthcare professionals working during the COVID-19 pandemic.

From trainee doctors and consultants to GPs and physician associates, survey respondents from over 20 medical specialties and professions described how their lives were transformed. With their permission, the RCP is privileged to share their experiences, in their own words.

From 25 September 2023 to 24 May 2024 you can explore the exhibition free as part of your visit to the museum.

Guided tours

In-person guided tours and live virtual guided tours or talks are available to book. Explore 500 years of the RCP’s past, key developments in medical history and award-winning architecture at our stunning Regent’s Park home or the comfort of your own living room.

Both in-person and virtual tours will be guided live by an expert from the RCP archive, heritage library or museum team and are available Monday to Friday, running between 10am–5pm.

Book your visit

Public events

We run a series of public events at the museum for all ages including exhibition openings, talks, lectures and workshops throughout the year inspired by the RCP museum collections, history and architecture.

We offer a mix of in-person events at our Regent’s Park home, virtual events to enjoy from wherever you are and hybrid events where attendees can take part in-person or online.

Access

Please note that as a conference venue, some rooms may be unavailable to view on your visit. Please contact us in advance if you are travelling far to see a particular room or item in the collection. For all museum information and enquiries, please phone +44 (0)20 3075 1510 or email history@rcp.ac.uk.

Museum location, accessibility and journey planning information (including transport accessibility) is available on the RCP visiting page. If you would rather discuss visiting arrangements with staff at the RCP, please contact us via email at reception@rcp.ac.uk, or by telephone on +44 (0)20 3075 1363.

Donating to the museum

The RCP museum is seeking to develop its collections. We welcome all types of donations related to the history of medicine, including instruments, equipment, photographs, artwork and medical teaching models.

What to donate

We are particularly interested in items that tell a story about the experiences of individual practitioners and/or patients. At the moment, we are prioritising objects that relate to medical practice in the 20th century, especially the early years of the NHS.

Examples of items we are seeking include (but are not limited to):

insulin injectors and pumps
medical education models
hearing aids
boxes and packaging for vaccines, antibiotics and antivirals
testing kits for blood, DNA and urine
items related to respiratory health
pacemakers and other cardiology equipment.

How it works

If you are interested in donating something to the RCP museum, please email history@rcplondon.ac.uk with the following information:

your name and contact details
a description and photograph of the item
details of how you came to own it
any personal stories connected to the item
approximate measurements.

All potential donations will be assessed against our collections development policy and successful donors will be contacted to arrange delivery of objects to the RCP. Once acquired, the objects will form a part of the permanent collection of our accredited museum.

Please do not send potential donations directly to us. Any items received in this way will be returned to the senders. If no return is possible, items will be held for 6 months and may be disposed of if not claimed.

Objects we can't collect

Large items, fragile or broken items, and hazardous items are unlikely to be appropriate for a museum collection. While we would love to collect large medical equipment, due to space restrictions we are unable to accept items larger than approximately 40 cm2.

In particular, we can’t collect:

controlled drugs
mercury
anything flammable.

Privacy

The museum catalogue and other collection management documents may contain information about living persons, in relation to collection items. The RCP also keeps records on research visitors, to meet access and security requirements.

Permanent collections data processing statement

Portrait of Professor Evarist Njelesani, by Jessica van der Weert, 2017. Gift of Dr Ian Bullock.