Home / Health / Oldest US Hospital Opens History Museum
Oldest US Hospital Opens History Museum
25 May
Summary
- Pennsylvania Hospital, founded in 1751, is the nation's oldest hospital.
- The hospital pioneered surgery, education, and innovative medical care.
- Its museum highlights contributions to medicine and mental health.
Pennsylvania Hospital, founded in 1751 by Dr. Thomas Bond and Benjamin Franklin, has unveiled a new museum chronicling its history. This institution holds the distinction of being the nation's oldest hospital, having consistently operated as a medical facility since its inception.
The hospital was established with the mission to provide free medical care to the poor, regardless of race or status. Its records offer unique historical documentation for individuals who might otherwise be unremembered. Early efforts also included pioneering approaches to mental health care, distinguishing them from prevailing supernatural explanations.
Innovations at the hospital spanned surgery, pharmacology, and meteorology. Its operating theater, the first in the United States, opened in 1804, serving as an early center for surgical education. The museum also features historical meteorological data and a collection of over 13,000 medical volumes dating back to 1483.
