Pauls Stradins Museum for History of Medicine

About us

Pauls Stradins Museum for History of Medicine

The museum was founded in 1957. The main exhibition consists of the private collection of Pauls Stradins in the history of medicine. The main idea of the museum is to show the visitors the development of medicine throughout the history, and that medicine and history go hand in hand.

The museum is visited by over 40000 people every year. There are more than 199000 items in the museums storage. Every year thematic exhibitions are made to reflect the questions that are topical to the society and which the society might find interesting and educational. The main exhibition is placed in the four floors of the museum in periodical order. The exhibition is designed to show the visitors the evolution of medicine, just the way that Pauls Stradins wanted to show it.

Ethno medicine (1st floor)

The story begins in the basement of the museum building, where the placed exhibits and dioramas show the first steps of the evolution of medicine. Dealing with trauma wounds, bandaging wounds, the healing methods of traditional medicine – all this was already known to man in the ancient times. A crucial part at that time was mythical medicine – amulets, lucky charms and witchcraft, which was performed by a hex, shaman and mages.

Medieval times (2nd floor)

The journey continues in the medieval floor of the museum showing the reconstructed medieval cloister hospital and pharmacy. Walk through the medieval town designed by Pauls Stradins and learn of the illnesses of that time as well as treatment methods.

Medicine of the 18th - 19th century (3rd floor)

This floor shows the visitor the rapid development of medicine at that point in history. This is the time of great discoveries and achievements. The X-ray is being discovered and is used in medicine, first operations with ether narcosis are performed, the stimulus for tuberculosis is discovered and the discovery of the vaccine for small pox.

Medicine in Latvia (4th floor)

The exhibition is ended with the floor that represents the Latvian developments and achievements in medicine. The Latvian spas, Riga and medicine and of course the study of Prof. Pauls Stradins, these are only few examples of the wide exhibition represented on this floor. There is also a room devoted to the research of outer space and medicine, in which also Latvian scientists took part during the time of USSR.