Animals in Medicine Virtual Tour

This tour explores the history of animals, real and imagined, and their impact on human lives and culture. 

This exhibition took place at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh's Physicians Gallery from 19 July 2024 to 9 May 2025. 

From unicorns and the first Renaissance animal encyclopaedia to Charles Darwin, our this exhibition tour shows how humans exploited animals and how they cared for them, creating our shared history. The exhibition has three themes - it begins by exploring the beginnings of medical care for animals as well as the role animals played in the development of modern medicine for humans. The second theme shows the changing ways we depicted animals and studied them, finally unlocking the mysteries of evolution and our place in the natural world. The third theme explores the vital role animals played in our cultural history, from myths and monsters to modern pets and companions.