Explore Medicine Through Time: School History Trip to London

Exploring London’s historical medical sites

Alexander Fleming Laboratory Museum

Explore the reconstruction of Alexander Fleming’s laboratory, where he discovered penicillin in 1928. Students can learn how he discovered this life-saving drug by chance, and how it became a turning point in modern medicine, and how this breakthrough revolutionised the treatment of infectious diseases, transforming healthcare worldwide.

Old Operating Theatre and Herb Garret

Students can visit Europe’s oldest surviving surgical theatre, which opened in 1822. As a key resource for GCSE history, it offers groups insight into pre-antiseptic and anti-anaesthetic surgery and how infections became commonplace during this period.

The Science Museum

Explore thousands of medical artefacts spanning over 500 years, alongside exhibitions that provide students with a visual representation of how medicine has progressed over time, from a Victorian pharmacy to robotic surgical technology. The museum offers plenty of curriculum-linked resources and real-life examples, helping students to deepen their understanding of the medical advancements and discoveries made throughout history.

How does this link to the curriculum and to other history topics?

Embarking on a school trip to London to discover how medicine has developed through time, from key eras such as Elizabethan England, also known as the ‘medical Renaissance’, and World War 1, brings history learning to life. The experience can provide students with further context for their curriculum studies, from the Elizabethan era’s combination of traditional medieval thinking, religious beliefs and new scientific ideas to the battlefields of World War 1 where major medical advancements and increased knowledge of illnesses and diseases transformed healthcare.

By engaging in immersive learning experiences and exploring a range of different source materials, whether it’s physical places or museum exhibitions, students can think critically and analyse how medical practices, treatments, and scientific understanding have changed over time.

More than a school history trip to London

London is an excellent school history trip, offering opportunities to explore not only Medicine Through Time but also other history topics, such as Elizabethan England, Crime and Punishment, World War 1 and World War 2.

London is also recognised as the financial, cultural, and political capital of the UK, making it an ideal destination for combining other subjects such as art, business studies, geography, and more. Home to some of the world’s best museums and immersive educational experiences, the city provides students with a well-rounded and inclusive trip that makes learning both memorable and meaningful.