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Scotland and Medicine is a partnership of museums, libraries and archives that showcase the outstanding and remarkable collections reflecting Scotland’s position at the forefront of modern medicine since the 18th Century.
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Our 2025 conference will explore the dual dimensions of medical collections: the tangible objects that form the foundation of museum practice; and the intangible - ethical, historical, and cultural narratives that give these objects meaning. 
 
The event will examine the practical and technical aspects of managing medical collections addressing the challenges of preserving, cataloguing, and displaying material culture while ensuring their integrity and accessibility. 
 
It will also delve into the moral, cultural, and societal implications of medical collections, exploring how museums navigate complex ethical landscapes and their relevance and importance to contemporary thinking. 
 
By addressing these two themes, the conference aims to foster a holistic understanding of medical collections, providing an opportunity to share research, experience and insights, and explore engagement with medical collections in new and innovative ways. 
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The conference is aimed at those working with medical collections in galleries, libraries, archives or museums, as well as researchers, academics, students and broader practitioners with an interest in this field. The conference programme is below.