London, Wellcome Historical Medical Collection

Current name(s) of destination(s): 
London, Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology, University College London; Durham Oriental Museum; Swansea Egypt Centre; London Science Museum; Liverpool Museum and Art Gallery
Country: 
UK
England
Destination category: 
Institution
Institutional history: 

Henry Wellcome (1853–1936), the pharmaceutical magnate, aspired to build a comprehensive medical museum for the whole history of mankind. Only a portion of his collection was ever housed in the Welcome Historical Medical Museums (WHMM). Soon after Henry Wellcome’s death in 1936, most of the objects in the WHMM collections were transferred to other institutions. The process was finally completed in 1985. 

Notes on distribution: 

After Wellcome's death the Egyptian objects were allocated initially to the Petrie Museum in London. Space shortages meant that it was not posisble to accomodate all material and a larger proportion were subsequently dispersed from the Petrie Museum to other institutions. 

1931-32 Armant, 1934-35 Armant, 1935-36 Armant, 1936-37 Armant, 1937-38 Armant remains transferred to London, Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and the Natural History Museum.

Relevant publications: 

Bosse-Griffiths, Kate 2001. Bead collars with Amarna amulets in the Wellcome Collection of the University College, Swansea. In Bosse-Griffiths, Kate, Amarna studies and other selected papers, 27-30. Freiburg (Schweiz); Göttingen: Universitätsverlag; Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht.

Quirke, S. G. J. and W. J. Tait 1994. Egyptian manuscripts in the Wellcome collection. Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 80, 145-158.

Destination location: 
See also: 
Excavations from which artefacts are distributed: 
Tags: 
Henry Wellcome