Best Medical and Science Museums in London

You'll be knocked out by the 2,000 objects related to anaesthesia at London's unusual Anaesthesia Museum! Whether you're an anaesthetist or just curious, the collection dating from 1774 to the present day provides an absorbing story and historical account of advancements in medicine and pain relief. Free entry

For a day out that'll make you glad anaesthetic has been invented, take a trip to The British Dental Association Museum. From barber surgeons to toothdrawers, rotten teeth to the first painful root canals, and 19th-century dental floss to clockwork drills, you can relive the history of dentistry in all its gory glory… and all for free.

Journey through the life and times of the "Lady with the Lamp" and discover what made Florence Nightingale so legendary. See the Turkish lantern she used in the Crimean War, her medicine chest – complete with a powdered rhubarb herbal remedy – and learn the astonishing story of this remarkable woman's life.

In the grand Royal College of Surgeons, the Hunterian Museum displays the collection of pioneering surgeon, John Hunter (1728-93). There are plenty of pickled creatures in jars here, including the organs of soldiers who fought in the Battle of Waterloo. Other exhibits explore contemporary and future surgery – not for the squeamish!

One of London's stranger museums, the Kirkaldy Testing Museum is a must for anyone with a love of machines and engineering. Free to enter, it houses David Kirkaldy's 350-ton "All Purpose Testing Machine", once used to test the strength of everything from bricks and concrete. Open on the first Sunday of each month.

This grand old building has been home to some of the world's greatest scientific minds and now houses artefacts used in history's most famous experiments. The Museum at the Royal Institution may be small, but there's no chance of getting bored. Discover how scientists built the first transformer or try your hand at the chemical elements game.

This museum brings the history of St Bart's Hospital to life using interactive displays. At the click of a button, visitors are transported back into the world of a 13th-century sister or a 15th-century apprentice surgeon. Original drawings illustrate interesting cases; look out for the patient with a tumour of the tongue...

This is a real one off – the only remaining 19th-century operating theatre in England, which sits at the top of an old church. Inside, you can watch demonstrations of surgical techniques and volunteer to be "operated on". The smells emanating from the herb garret (originally used to store and cure medicinal herbs) just add to the atmosphere.

A free museum for curious minds, the Wellcome Collection gives visitors a unique insight into what it means to be human. Many of the collections are nothing short of bizarre; showcasing everything from a Peruvian mummified man to a robot used in the human genome project. Free guided tours take place most days.