Imagine all the people … – let’s create a museum together!

When the topic of this year’s International Museum Day was announced: Museums for Equality – Diversity and Inclusion, it was unquestionable that the Croatian Museum of Medicine and Pharmacy could and should be included in this important event. We have given our program a symbolic title Imagine all the people… Why?

• today, in the time of the pandemic of the viral infectious disease COVID-19, it is clearer than ever that we need an important museum that focuses on health as a topic of primary interest for all mankind, following the thoughts of Andrija Štampar that informing people is more important than law
• the basic position on the need to respect diversity and inclusiveness was incorporated at the beginning of the Croatian Museum of Medicine and Pharmacy in its statement of mission formulated by the head of the Museum, academician Marko Pećina, deputy head prof. dr. sc. Stella Fatović-Ferenčić and director Silvija Brkić Midžić: The mission and vision of the Croatian Museum of Medicine and Pharmacy is in line with the mission and vision of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, its Department of Medical Sciences and the Division of the History of Medical Sciences, which means that the basic task of the Museum is building a society of science and knowledge. The social groups that the Museum addresses are: professionals in medical sciences, activities, institutions, societies and the education system; pupils and students of medicine, pharmacy, dentistry; patients and in the broadest sense users of medical services, and all other populations, especially school. Equally, the Museum should contribute to cultural tourism and lifelong learning. The purpose of existence and goals of the Museum are as follows: collecting, protection, processing and presentation of medical and pharmaceutical heritage; promoting the medical professional and scientific identity of Croatia as a segment of cultural heritage; promoting knowledge and understanding of the human body, disease and treatment throughout history and the impact of this knowledge on the general understanding of man, his physicality and psyche; increasing public interest and awareness of the biomedical sciences; documenting important events, persons and institutions of Croatian medicine in the European and world context, on the basis of tangible and intangible heritage, and in cooperation with Croatian medical and pharmaceutical institutions and companies; documenting ethical, scientific, technical, political, legal, economic, social, psychological, pedagogical, linguistic and other aspects of medicine in Croatian society; creating a stimulating environment and inspiration for future physicians, pharmacists, and scientists. At the same time, the museum should become a place for other promotional and educational activities besides those that are distinctly museum, such as symposia, book presentations, lectures and the like.
• the museum holdings include almost all types of museum material ranging from scientific and higher education heritage, medical technology, folk medicine, documentary material and memorabilia, pharmaceutical heritage and pharmaceutical propaganda to fine and applied arts, which in its diversity testifies to the history of medicine and pharmacy in Croatia and beyond;
• we created our website with the aim of developing the audience and enabling a virtual visit to everyone until we manage to realize the project of a permanent exhibition and open our doors to the public;
• the Museum has been working with only one employee since the beginning (2015), and yet it has already achieved significant results, which would not be possible without the strong support of the Academy’s Department of Medical Sciences, the Division of the History of Medical Sciences, participation of numerous associates and material support from institutions, companies and individuals to whom we thank through the Friends of the Museum section of our website – because we create the Museum together!
• the Museum bases all its programs on a multidisciplinary approach, regularly including science and art, and implements them in cooperation with the Division of the History of Medical Sciences and external associates, experts in preventive protection, restoration, digitization, spatial and artistic design;
• we see the potential for the development of the Museum in the community of all stakeholders on the basis of diversity and inclusion – so we invite you to get involved and give your contribution according to your capabilities: by donating funds for the development of the Museum project, by donating historical material related to medicine and pharmacy, giving relevant informations, by donating knowledge, professional and technical support…