The Museum of the History of Medicine at Rome’s La Sapienza University was founded in 1938 by Adalberto Pazzini. It contains an impressively rich collection of historical-medical exhibits – many of them original, which can help trace developments in medical knowledge from prehistoric times up to genomic medicine. The Museum, specially designed to offer a clearly presented learning experience, aims to provide visitors with everything necessary to gain deeper knowledge of medical history, of biomedicine and the relationship between biomedical science and society; offering an integrated perspective on the evolution of medical knowledge and technological developments with philosophical, ethical and social issues. The Museum is employed as a didactic device by the Section of History of Medicine Medicine staff to explain the development of medical knowledge both to specialized and non-professional audiences (medical students; scholars in History of Medicine, Bioethics, History of Ideas, History of Science), especially throught the organization of special exhibitions devoted to stimulate a critical discussion about the most recent developments of medicine, biotechnology and life sciences.

The Museum contains about 10000 objects from prehistoric times up to genomic medicine.