Musée de l'Histoire de la Médecine (Museum of the History of Medicine)

Dedicated to the history of medicine and its transmission in the city of Toulouse, this museum houses a collection of instruments, paintings, and documents covering seven centuries of local and global history. With the Museum of Medical Devices, it shares a wing of the Hôtel Saint Jacques, a former hospital active since the 1100s with impressive architecture overlooking the river Garonne.

The museum was founded in 1983 by Pr. Jean-Charles Auvergnat, who wanted to give the public an overview of the historical, scientific, technical, and artistic sides of medicine. The basement is dedicated to the history of the faculty of Toulouse, and how it was taught to students through the years. At the same time, the upper level showcases a former pharmacy with beautiful woodwork from the 19th century. The alliance of majestic architecture and high ceilings with old-fashioned museography gives a certain charm to the museum.

There are several rare and surprising pieces, such as face moldings showcasing skin diseases, an 18th-century oil painting of a patient suffering from a gigantic hernia, and an abortion table from the Napoleonic era.