Typically this blog shares unusual museums and attractions (and sometimes exhibits) with its readers but what about a weird item? An extraordinary sculpture, known as ‘Palace of Pills’, located in the History of Medicine gallery at London’s Science Museum was made for a campaign run by the East London Health Project between 1978 and 1980. The ELHP was a coalition of health worker unions and local Trades Councils who were campaigning against cuts to the NHS as well as highlighting other healthcare issues facing Londoners in the late 1970s. Basically they were pro-NHS and anti-big drug companies. Artists Peter Dunn and Loraine Leeson, who built the sculpture in their studio using old pill bottles, medicine bottles and syringes, photographed their creation for a poster that was displayed in waiting rooms and doctor surgeries. It warned about the commercialisation of medicine , or as the artists called it “Putting greed before need.” The model was too big for their studio and was already starting to deteriorate when the museum asked if they could have it not long after the campaign ended. At least it lives on inside the gallery.
History of Medicine gallery at London’s Science Museum
