Especially for First Time Visitors

• Overview of Historical Collections
• Are you planning your first visit to the History of Medicine Reading Room?
  • How to make your research visit productive
  • Things to do and see at the Library
  • Things to do and see at the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
  • Things to do and see around Washington
  • Ask a Reference Librarian

• Overview of Historical Collections

  NLM's historical collections of material related to health and disease are among the richest in the world.  Holdings include pre-1914 books, pre-1871 journals, archives and modern manuscripts, medieval and Islamic manuscripts, a collection of printed books, manuscripts, and visual material in Japanese, Chinese, and Korean; historical prints, photographs, films, and videos; pamphlets, dissertations, theses, college catalogs, and government documents.  The collection is constantly growing, with new material added through an active Acquisitions Program of purchase and donation.

  • Books and Journals
  • Archives & Manuscripts
  • Prints & Photographs
  • Films & Videos
  • Digital Collections

• Are you planning your first visit to the History of Medicine Reading Room?

  • How to make your research visit productive:

    • See the Visit Us page for directions, hours, parking, and security** information.
    • Browse our FAQs to find answers to frequently asked questions.
    • Explore our Especially for Scholars and Historians page, with special attention to Doing Research at the Library.

  • Things to do and see in the Library:

    • Visit the current exhibition, Changing the Face of Medicine
    • Take a guided tour of the current exhibition
    • Take a tour of the History of Medicine Reading Room.
    • See the History of Medicine exhibits
    • Take a tour of the Library
    • "Turn the pages" of Elizabeth Blackwell's A Curious Herbal, a beautifully illustrated 18^th century book of medicinal plants, at the History of Medicine Reading Room’s Turning the Pages kiosk.
    • Explore Objects of Art in the National Library of Medicine
    • Visit the interactive computer displays and pick up give-aways at the Visitors Center, open weekdays except Federal holidays, 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. 

  • Things to do and see at the National Institutes of Health (NIH Map):

    • The DeWitt Stetten, Jr., Museum of Medical Research

  • Things to do and see around Washington

    • Visit historic medical sites in the Washington, D. C. area

Last reviewed: 18 January 2009
Last updated: 15 November 2006
First published: 30 April 2004
Metadata| Permanence level: Permanence Not Guaranteed