I spend lots of time here. I use the library for my phd. I have had the pleasure of also working with this organisation now and then, and I have visited every exhibition they have had since December 2008. These are my credentials! The library, first of all, unsurprisingly specialises in the history of medicine. It has one of the best, if not the best collection in the world in that regard but had fine collections of almost any human concern you might care to think of. The space is perfect for study and the staff on the desk are scholars and leaders in their fields. They know the collection inside out and seem to stay there for years (ad far as anyone can see on their website, Wellcome pay their staff well and treat them as they deserve to be treated). The only drawback with the library is its business through exam period (though I have never failed to find a seat). The crowds are more of an issue when the lockers get full but even then there is a free cloakroom on the ground floor staffed most often by Danny the friendliest fellow with an almost Edwardian attitude to customer service. We know each other by name but he still calls me 'sir' every now and then! The temporary exhibitions are also second to none, each overseen with the utmost care by a team of curators. There is always a good variety of events both themed (the exhibition topics provide a framework and inspiration for other events) and not. These provide an interesting perspective on whatever it is they are about. The permanent exhibitions are also good. Medicine man is superb and gives you an idea of Henry Wellcome himself through his collection, which is again curated by the best. See Napoleon's toothbrush and king George III's hair here! Medicine now is a little disappointing, though, I think, when compared with medicine man but that's just my preference for old things over new things coming through. It is really great to see the whole of the human gnome printed out on paper, though! It is also refreshing that the exhibitions are not all geared towards children. There is a children's area in medicine now and they certainly aren't forgotten, but adults can come and actually learn something. You don't get this very often, as catering specifically for kids means government funding! Staff are ridiculously nice. They get time to study and develop their own tours which are always learned an enthusiastically delivered. And almost everything in here is free! Remarkable! The gift shop also has some good stuff in it but the cafe is terribly overpriced and run by the same folk who run other museum cafes (Peyton
And Byrne). Best bet is to go next door to the friend's meeting house for dinner if you plan to spend the day at Wellcome collection. Security check at the door a bit of a token gesture as they don't actually look into your bag, just open it to see what is on top! That's not a big deal if you have a handbag or something but I frequently have more than one bag that takes a while to open only for the security person to look at the top and wave me through! In conclusion, superlatives are terrible in reviews of places but in rare cases such as these, they are warranted. This is simply the best gallery, library, and museum I have ever come across and my day job requires me to visit a hell of a lot of galleries, libraries, and museums. read more