Want to educate and creep your kids out at the same time, during this pandemic? Great! Come to this place. And they still use maggots today. Get ready for nightmares of the room full of surgical demons, I mean statues.

Amazing! Went around noon and it was pretty empty and the exhibits were interesting and informative.

Visited on a Sunday. It was a really nice experience, we bought the tickets online in advance which was convenient for us. Loved the museum, it is on the smaller side but very informative. The lighting is good and a really nice view can be seen from the windows looking out towards the lake. Staff were friendly and helpful(covid precautions were taken seriously). Would recommend this for any Med students or people interested in learning about the past and present of medicine(not solely surgery).Had an amazing time, learned a lot, it was absolutely worth it.

So interesting, definitely a must visit for locals. Park by the zoo and enjoy the walk through Lincoln Park.

Its an interesting place to visit, has three floors, originally built as a house for a wealthy family it has now turned museum dedicated to surgical science. Lots of medical tools, medicines, specimens from many years past. Some of the paintings need some care as they are starting to crack and peel. A couple of modern art spaces on the 3rd floor tying into medicine in some way.

I was a bit skeptical when I walked in, but actually a pretty neat place. Easily can spend a good couple hours there if you read all the exhibits and learn a bit about medical history. The hall of murals is neat along with seeing some of the historical medical tools.However, I wasnt the biggest fan of the art feature on the top floor, but thats not a main feature to me. I dont know if Id revisit. To me it feels like Ive seen it all enough just visiting it once.

This is such an underrated gem in Chicago! As a nurse I love all things health related, and this museum is no exception. The building itself is stunningly pretty and there are plenty of parking options nearby.

Very educational. I felt more connected to my profession as a circulator.

Great history and very unique historical apparatus. I also loved that it was self guided so you could go at your own pace and look at things as quickly or in depth as you wanted too. they also have the coolest baseball jersey shirts to buy to state that you were there

Definitely worth a visit. I am intrigued by vintage pharmacy products. I think I took 50 photos. I will return to see new exhibits.

VERY interesting subject matter. Great place for all interests including non medical types!

Informative and interesting history. I can appreciate the efforts to save things so we can see how things progressed from the past to our day.

A real hidden gem in Chicago! This museum is always worth a visit!

My wife and I took a snow day and turned it into an exertion to this gem. The building itself is a great place to explore but the content makes it worth the trip.

I really enjoyed the exhibits at this museum. They had great paintings, and artifacts, and paired them well with written text to help really bring to life the history of the museum. The staff was slightly aloof, however, and the building gives off a little bit of a creepy vibe. If you have any interest in surgical history or just want to kill an hour learning something new - this place is the place to be!

I’m a doctor myself so I found it extremely interesting to learn a bit more about the history. The place is great !

Museum is well worth a visit but I will throw caution at anyone with a weak stomach. The old OB/GYN medical tools were sick! Weve come a long way from devices that look to be more pain-inducing than pain-relieving!As far as parking, I parked at the Chicago History Museum Parking lot and walked across Lincoln Park to get to the Surgical Museum (about 10 minute walk). Show your school or military ID and get a discount on your ticket.

I was charmed by this museum when I visited during Open House Chicago. They had a really interesting exhibit on Japanese medicine... back in 2018. I also enjoyed all the gory past of surgery. The building itself lovely and has a great tall staircase. If you’re a medical professional I’d highly recommend a visit, but even if you’re not it’s pretty interesting! It isn’t the easiest place to find, but if you follow google maps you should be good. Just know there’s not much signage!

A very unique experience. Not good for kids or those with a weak stomach. Great for those interested in wierd stuff and history as well as medicine. The building the museum is housed in is gorgeous.

Really interesting and unique museum! Free for IL residents every Tuesday.Residing in an old mansion on Michigan Ave, you feel like you’re stepping into a time machine filled with medical artifacts and exhibits

This is one of the truly hidden gems in Chicago - a very peculiar museum theme if not for some mildly disturbing :-) artifacts and stories ( check for ads of early uses of the x-rays) located in one of the architecturally meaningful old mansions along the Gold Coast. When in doubt the wonderfully helpful and extremely knowledgeable staff will clear-up your confusions!

Definitely worth a visit! Learned a lot and was able to see tons of interesting medical tools and paraphernalia from the past. To top it off the museum is housed in a beautiful historic mansion that has been restored wonderfully.

It was so informative. Their featured exhibit brought tears to my eyes. I will definitely be returning to see what new exhibits they bring. I do wish it was bigger.

It was extremely interesting to walk through, I wish there were more details around the exhibits to read and learn about but it genuinely didnt detract. Took about 45 minutes to go through and on the Sunday morning there was only 5 other people in the whole building. Fun to look at if you are into medical history.

Super interesting. Be warned, lots of stairs. Probably not great for little kids. A lot of reading and while I didnt feel like any of the exhibits were really graphic, I could see a couple being an issue. Loved that they acknowledged Nursings contributions.

Ive lived in Chicago for over 25 years and didnt even know this place existed. My niece, a nursing student, came to visit and suggested we check out IMSS. It was fascinating! Dont be deceived by the outward appearance of size. This former home to Eleanor Robinson Countiss holds 4 floors of densely organized exhibits, including one about the history of the mansion and its former residents. Walking in I silently thought we would be there for an hour at the most. We left three hours later. The museum also makes known connections with another Chicago name, Dr. Max Thorek, who founded the International College of Surgeons with the museums humble beginnings in the colleges Hall of Fame. The history held here spans from ancient Egypt through to modern times. The exhibits are a bit old school with no real interactivity in the contemporary sense. But they are meticulously displayed, labeled, and maintained. Another significant surprise the the amount of *art* on display, from pencil drawings, to busts to larger-than-life sculptures, to wall-sized painting. Indeed, it makes sense as art -- particularly painting and drawing -- would have been the only way to depict surgical procedures prior to the ages of photography and video. All the art is breathtaking and surprisingly intimate. The gift shop is tiny -- a single, small room mostly taken up with a desk and some display cases. Nevertheless, the items for sale are clever and unique and will lighten your wallet significantly if youre not careful. This is a hidden gem in this city of excellent museums. Be sure to check out the museums website where youll find a lot of surprising information about the museums art residency, NASA learning camps, internships, hosting events, alongside the usual info about exhibits, maps, etc. Whether youre into medicine and science or not, youll find this a fascinating way to spend a couple hours on a weekend afternoon!

Wouldnt recommend for people in non medical background unfortunately. Or at least go with someone who is one. Some exhibits were interesting and accompanied with videos or fact charts. The country based ones were closed when we were there. There was a special exhibit by the National Holocaust museum which was pretty intense. Definitely not for weak hearted.

Its interesting, but just like American health care, its overpriced for what it is.

One of a kind!It is definitely worth visiting if you are a fan of anything remotely related to medical sciences.The place can be definitely improved by adding a few interactive displays and more modern additions to the medical industry. It is still very much paintings and art than a medical museum.

Very interesting. If you have any interest in medicine then there will be a lot to learn. The museum is focused more on the history and less than how medicine works in modern times. It also focused on the science of medicine and not necessarily the education or training of doctors.

Very interesting place filled with facts.

One of the most unique museums in the Chicago area. Tucked away on the edge of Goldcoast and Lakeshore Drive the surgical science museum offers a trip through time of surgery. Its held in an old house (a very nice one I might add) and occupies about 4 floors. The jar of gallstones was one of the most intriguing of the exhibits. Worth checking out.

Very interesting museum with fascinating exhibits. Magnificent building and architecture. Only negative was that the gal at reception desk/ gift shop was quite rude..seemingly bothered by our group interrupting her to purchase tickets. Other volunteers we encountered were very friendly. Id still recommend this museum....

Really nice extensive 4 story museum.A lot of themed spaces, dedicated to different specifications, as well as a lot of curated pieces.The tiny shop has cute finds as well (reasonably priced microbe plushies)Recommended.

I went here alone for my birthday and spent a solid six hours there just checking out all of the displays. Definitely worth the visit if you are into medical history and you arent grossed out by the human body.

We went there during the open house. The place is very well maintained and is a treasure trove of interesting , weird and sometimes scary medical history fact. If you want to see all the exhibits in detail, it is going to take you at least 2-3 hours.This museum is definitely a must go if you are in the city.

Fascinating. A must-see for anyone in the medical field and those who want to better understand how surgery and medicine have evolved over the years.

Very interesting museum! lots of medical history. Feel like most people would enjoy even if you werent in a medical background. Would highly recommend checking it out! They have a small gift shop, with some cool medical/biology/science-y things. On tuesdays (I think) Illinois residents get free entry. Otherwise, bring your student ID and theres a discount.Accessibility: There is an accessible entrance around to the side of the building. It seemed like hardly anyone used the elevator - its incredibly old and you need to ask the person working to show you how to use it. It also seemed narrow, so I would call ahead before visiting.

Great place for people in medical fields!

A great museum to visit, weird personality and an artist in residency program

Its a 4 floor museum with quite interesting things on first and second floor. Overall its a nice experience if you have some knowledge about medical practice. The shop is not that well equipped.. has very few options. Also prices are marked incorrectly so that was not a good experience. The place is located opposite to lake with not a very big board or sign. So its difficult to spot. Its wont take more than 1 hr to cover the whole place.

Such rich history in medicine, staff was excellent all the way.

This museum might be smaller than other museums in Chicago. I learned so much in depth--thoroughly enjoyed. It might be too descriptive about surgical process of old times, but you get to appreciate what we have now.

If you are involved in the medical field this is à great place to go to see how far we as a species have come.

A nice presentation of the history of Medical sciences. I enjoyed seeing the old tools being used, but felt like the presentation could have been done differently. Regardless they have many cards explaining everything clearly. Also, their new contemporary art exhibit is pretty strange, sort of scary, and not needed.

This is such a cool little museum. So fun and interesting. The gift shop has some unique gifts. That alone is worth a stop in

Great place, very clean.

Fascinating museum. If you are looking for something off the beaten path and have an interest in the medical sciences, this place is for you.

Interestingly unique museum. Conveniently located near CTA route 151. There were some areas where I wouldve like to have seen more detail. There was an area with paintings of what seemed to be people of Eastern Indian descent performing medical procedures...but no explanation on what was being depicted.I especially enjoyed the display of patent medicines; the things we will do for the perfect cure. I was also astonished by the fish bowl of various gall stones! I also appreciated the sculpture of Nobel prize worthy woman of science & medicine...Marie Curie.

I cant say enough good things about this museum! I loved all the artifacts and displays and will be going back for sure. There is so much to see and learn. Apple users, there is an app you can download to give you more information about the house, family who lived there, and the displays. Android users, the app isnt in the play store, but they have iPhones at the front desk that you can borrow!

This is a truly unique collection of art and artifacts.I reside in Detroit and after a trip to Chicago a friend asked if I had visited. Since i had never even heard of it i made a trip back within a few months to check it out. It was totally worth it. There are multiple floors but the top floor gallery felt as though they ran out of ideas. There were a few anatomical posters just taped on the walls which struck me as strange when comparing to the first two floors which had jawdropping displays.Overall I enjoyed my experience. Its definitely worth checking out!

Interesting place to check out. Its a $15 visitor fee (lesser for students) but worth visiting for anyone who is interested in the history of medicines and surgeries

Amazing museum! It’s small but so fun. Great exhibits. Fun to take people in healthcare to or anyone else!

The museum was great! Lots of interesting tools and great information to back it all up. It was so cool to see how little things have changed since the early days of medicine. The receptionist was great and helpful and super sweet considering we came in from the driving rain soaking wet.We walked around for about 3-4 hours reading everything while we dried out. At 10 til five we headed down to check out the gift shop and there was a second incredibly rude “worker” there. She was being very condescending to those who were trying to check in and buy tickets for an after hours opera and she was controlling the only register even though her patrons were forced to download and use a specific app to buy her tickets.We were told that we had 1 minute to find everything and check out. When another patron asked about an item that didn’t have a price sticker (nothing was marked), she was told to wait while an opera patron was given preferential treatment. Then we were all told to leave with out being given prices after our minute was up. When we raised objection we were told to shop online. She was incredibly rude. Maybe if the store allowed patrons to purchase souveniers they would have more money to afford more polite staff like the first lady who greeted us when we walked in.Rating based on staff friendliness that ruined an otherwise amazing experience.

Free admission for Illinois residents on Tuesday! Very cool place. Good spot for those interested in medical history or the macabre. 3 stories of surgical history!

The house and the Museum collection are both worth the visit. The house is a beautiful old mansion on the lake. The collection of medical and surgical devices and the stories they tell are so interesting. The docents were friendly and helpful. The building still has the original, working elevator, which I was able to use because I have trouble with the stairs. Dont forget to visit the gift shop!

Very lovely! The photos I had taken doesn’t do any justice and doesn’t really show how nice and interesting it is.

Its a small museum, but has enough artifacts and art to keep you busy for a few hours. There is no parking lot or structure that I was able to find. Friendly staff.

Very interesting place.

Really nice and historical exhibits!

This was a cool place to visit. I liked that it wasnt super busy so I got to spend time at all of the exhibits. Theres a lot of stairs so bring comfy shoes.

Really good museum, very interesting exhibits. Loved the eyeglass exhibit!

Never thought Id come but a lot of information and displays alot to see and alot to read its amazing the history and photos yeah they charge for a walkthrough but if youre in the field of medicine Id recommend it !

If youre a doctor, or better yet - a surgeon - then boy, is this the place for you! If youre a person just walking in off the street with a general sense of curiosity about medical procedures, you may find this enjoyable. If youre like me, who happened to have a 7yo kid in tow, looking to kill an hour or two, maybe consider other options.The building itself used to be a single family mansion, and honestly - the information about the history of the building is what I found the most engaging. Its a truly impressive piece of architecture. Beyond that, there are four floors of historical artifacts about medicine, surgery, X-rays, skulls, birthing, and more. Some rooms have cool old machines that look like something out of a 50s era science fiction movie. Other rooms have giant, creepy paintings of people (doctors?) doing disturbing things to other people (patients?). Some of these paintings are extremely graphic. I actually rushed my son away from several of these paintings. There was a strange art gallery on the top floor, with a theater playing an odd video on a loop. It didnt have much explanation, and didnt seem to fit with the rest of the exhibits. There was a hall of giant statues, and nothing else. The most charming room was tucked away in the back of the first floor - an old fashioned pharmacy, complete with a wooden pharmacist who spoke when you pushed a button. Again, my kid thought it was creepy and wanted to leave.In summary, your overall enjoyment of this museum will be tied entirely to your interest in medical history. Theres not much else there. The gift shop at the start had some strangely kid friendly toys, though from personal experience, I would not recommend bringing young kids to this museum. We were in and out in about an hour, and for my son - that was 30 minutes too long.

One of my favorite museums in the city. 4 floors of an old mansion full of interesting things

$17 admission fee? No thanks. I was expecting better curated exhibits with plaques that were easier to read. I was also expected more interesting historical instruments, oddities...or something. The Mutter museum in Philadelphia is my gold standard for historical medicine museums. This place was not worth the price. It could be something so amazing though. Major disappointment.

Very nice place to gain historic information

4 floors! Very interesting. Though the parking is non-existant. I didnt even try parking close to the buildin. I just drove around aimlessly looking for public parking. The closest one is a valet parking. The museum also offers some contemporary art installations. If Id ask for one thing Id hope to see some actual human cadavers and more information on that.

InFormative ,interesting and a nice way to pass a couple of hours. It gives a short history of surgery and notes some modern surgeons. We enjoyed seeing the exhibits. The building is an old Lakeshore Drive mansion that is nice to see. All in all a nice extra attraction in Chicago. It is only about a 20 minute walk from the Drake Hotel

Really enjoyed this as a family outing. My daughter wants to be a doctor so this was so perfect for her. They do an awsome job at depicting medicine from the early years until now.

Historical medical instruments and equipment (also skulls, an old pharmacy, and jars of gall, bladder and kidney stones). I saw the eugenics exhibit here. I spent about 2 hours to go through the museum thoroughly on Friday afternoon in July. Not particularly mobility accessible (4 stories, tight rooms - this is an old house), though they do have an elevator that you can use with staff permission.

A little dry for a non medical professional, but a few gems, and beautiful building.

Interesting information and great location. Really cool for the inquisitive mind. Was a little unorganized but a nice place/experience

Very interesting exhibits and very cool statues

This was a pretty interesting museum. The exhibits are well kept and laid out nicely.

Very neat stuff, but it suffers a bit from having huge walls of text to read in some exhibits without a lot of tangible items to view. Overall very interesting. We spent about two hours here to see everything.

Definitely an underrated experience in this busy Chicago neighborhood. We stumbled upon this museum while we got lost headed towards Navy Pier and we loved it! At the time, my brother was considering going into medicine, so it was really nice to explore the timeline and evolution of surgical medicine. It was really easy to navigate, didnt take a whole lot of time and was in a perfect location to keep the tourism momentum going!

Two people working the front were discourteous. When checking-in there were issues and when leaving, there was also issues with checking out our personal belongings. Stressing the importance of interpersonal skills and service as a curator/volunteer counts for a lot in my rating. It represents your site! My friend and I came in closer to closing than we’d like so we were rushing as to not be rude. We wanted to make certain there was plenty of room to leave before five. We Enjoyed the (open) exhibits even in a short time.

The International Museum of Surgical Science, a division of the International College of Surgeons (ICS), maintains over 10,000 square feet of public galleries committed to the history of surgery, and an exquisite permanent collection of art and artifacts from the history of Medicine. The Museum supports its Mission through medically thematized exhibitions and programs, in addition to a strong contemporary art exhibition program.

There were many exhibits fun and educational. Some were out right creepy! Medical history is kinda dark and twisted.

A very niche museum for medicine and surgery enthusiasts. Small museum but very engaging exhibits.

In an old mansion, lots of art, exhibits are very old school museum-style - not interactive or engaging. Unless you are very interested in healthcare dont go - even then, lower your expectations as it is a very dry museum.

Loved it here! So much great antiques and informative! Love love!

Great step back into medical history. Well worth a visit

This is an under-the-radar kind of place to visit in Chicago. The collection of medical materials and equipment is eclectic and bizarre. Worth the trip for anyone interested in health/medicine.

4.5 really, but that isn’t an option and the issues I’ll mention dont warrant leaving only 4.TLDR:This museum is small but very interesting.Majority of the exhibitions are antiques, paintings and some dry specimens.Space is cozy and stunningly beautiful.-Biggest issue is the lack of proper labeling for many exhibition spaces. As for the ones that are labeled, the numbering system is fairly convoluted.-Full review:So I went on a Tuesday and it was fairly empty, which is a shame because this museum is bloody brilliant.The exhibition spaces aren’t over crowded and the educational reading is fairly thorough. The only real issue (mentioned above) is, many of the pieces aren’t labeled at all, have numbers but no board to go with those numbers or some pieces in the space do and some have nothing at all. This is almost understandable because the I would imagine they don’t have the resources or budget of the big powerhouse museums, it’s just slightly frustrating at times.It’s four floors, stairs between each floor (didn’t see an elevator) but they aren’t bad at all.The quality of the exhibits as well as the items on display is exemplary.The gift shop in really small but VERY reasonably priced.All In all, very much worth a visit, if you go on a free day make sure you grab something for the gift shop (I got a hoodie lol) or drop something in the donation box, every little bit helps.

There are some really interesting things on display.I was bummed at the lack of appropriate preservation for many things. Though funding is always a challenge, considering the subject matter, in my opinion there could be more effort made.I also found myself wishing they explained things with general population audience in mind as well. Almost everything was labeled and written specifically geared toward medical/surgical field only. If you hadnt had exposure to this field of study, it might be difficult to grasp much of it.

I loved this place! I work in Health Information Management and this was so informative and shows how we have definitely advanced. I highly recommend this museum to anyone interested in the medical world.

I would recommend this museum for anyone wanting to catch a glimpse inside the world of medicine, nursing, pain, and anesthesia. This place is on the smaller side and I would allot for 2 hours to thoroughly explore the exhibits.

Back in 91 I took part in their Medical Project didnt end up pursuing a career in medicine but it was a great experience.

This was definitely a... quirky... museum. Although it was focused around surgery it still felt somewhat eclectic -- there was a room dedicated to eye wear and a few that were exhibits to seemingly random countries surgical history. Plus some odd modern art type stuff.It was still very interesting, and we had a great time! Maybe not the first choice of museum in Chicago, and not large enough to dedicate a full day to exploring, but if youre nearby and have any interest in the medical field, its worth stopping in for an hour or two.

Meh. Perhaps its because Im not much into the medical fields. I wasnt overly impressed and slightly bored. It would be a struggle for me to justify spending $17 on this again.

I love museums like this. Human anatomy/medical science is a huge interest of mine. The only downside to this museum is the size - I wish it were a bit bigger and that there were a few more exhibits particularly with specimens.

This is a pretty interesting and educational museum on all sorts of medicinal, historical, and scientific information. It did feel a little underwhelming but it has enough to keep you entertained for a couple of hours, nothing too out of the ordinary here. Wouldnt really recommend it for kids as it doesnt have too much for them but if youre studying or practicing in the medical field, you will have a lot of fun here. Also, the admissions office can easily be skipped here as there is no one that works here that checks if you actually paid to get in or not so I dont know how they overlooked that here.

Ive yet to attend a International Museum of Surgical Science event at Cal Academy thus far, so when my pal Kelly from The Workshop/Indie Mart hipped me to fact that her little operation would be partnering with the Academy for an evening of hip threads and wild animals, it was high time to embark on my maiden voyage.

I loved this museum - anyone with interest in medical history should visit. I learned some truly intriguing things and the building it is in is beautiful.

The Museum is located in Northern Chicago and it in a nice building that used to be a home. It has 4 floors of exhibits and ranges from all of the different body systems and includes antique medical tools and supplies and various paintings and the history of medicine. It was interesting, but I would not recommend this place to someone who is not interested in the medical field. I went using a Groupon and I am glad I used that deal because I dont think it was worth the actual admission price. Overall, good way to spend about an hour or two if you are looking for something to do.

Pretty neat, but Im not sure that Id spend $20 on it. Just not very big. Very specific demographic, but me and the other medical students I was with enjoyed ourselves.

If youre looking for something different to do in the city look no further. After having visited the other main museums dozens of times when visiting the city this was a very unique change of pace. They have a wide array of medical tools and artifacts and I learned quite a bit. Its crazy to see how much progress we have made in just the last 100 years in medicine. They also had a really cool modern art exhibit on the top floor of the museum which was very unique.

Going to school in the medical field, or just Interested in the history of Surgical Science? Then this museum is a must for you!I did not even know of its existence until I was invited to a private VIP after hours event here. This is North Americas only museum devoted to surgery.Located on Lake Shore Drive in an architecturally gorgeous former mansion, with a breathtaking view of Lake Michigan, it is easy to pass by without knowing what a treasure of a museum awaits inside.When you enter the foyer, you are taken back to the early 1900s when the mansion was built, and marvel at the Italian marble, brass fixtures, stone fireplaces, limestone statues, and gilded metal staircase that have been preserved for us.The museum is 4 floors of Surgical artifacts, paintings, illustrations, murals, and sculptures. It is a museum dedicated to early treatments, discoveries, and successes that have led to how modern medicine is applied today.Make sure to visit the Early American Apothecary, the hall of statues, the eyeglass exhibit, the iron lung (this blew my mind) ,and the rare books display in the former study. There are also a lot of artifacts in cases such as amputation kits, and early x-ray machines. Dont miss the Nursing exhibit, it is an awesome tribute to the Nursing profession.There are paintings and murals throughout that depict some of the early practices of surgical medicine. Make it a point to read the large plaques that are installed on the walls behind the exhibits, they make it easy and more enjoyable to understand with all the information that they supply.