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Science Museum Group Blog

Ian Allen Negative of the SS Mariposa. These images were all taken during the packing process.

Inspired by World Photography Day, Associate Curator Rebecca Raven discusses studying and moving many thousands of photographic records to their new home.

A common emblem for medicine depicts one or two snakes coiling up a staff. This symbol, often referred to as a ‘caduceus’, has been frequently used as a pharmacy or healthcare company crest. However, the term ‘caduceus’ has a distinct meaning and historically has been confused with the real first medical symbol: the ‘Rod of Asclepius’.

In 1998, the Science Museum delivered an ambitious, ground-breaking touring exhibition that took many of its most important objects to Japan. Treasures of the Science Museum showcased objects that had never left Britain before. Its Project Curator, Nick Wyatt, now the museum’s Keeper of Library and Archives, explores this project, and describes more recent cooperation with Japan.

This image from the Daily Herald Archive features Britain’s first Black matron Daphne Steele at St. Winifred’s Maternity Home with a patient and her new baby.

On this day in 1948 – just 13 days before the National Health Service was established – the Empire Windrush ship arrived at Tilbury Docks in Essex with 429 Caribbean migrants aboard. In this blog post Trainee Assistant Digital Curator Rachael Simoes explores the integral role Caribbean nurses have played in the NHS over the past 75 years.