This month’s Prospect contains a supplementary section presented in collaboration with the Wellcome Trust, the world’s largest medical research charity. It’s about Wellcome Collection, a free new venue in London that includes galleries, a library, café, event spaces, a members’ club and a bookshop, all devoted to exploring the human condition via medicine and art.
The supplement is available to read for free on our website, where you’ll find an interview with Wellcome Collection’s head curator, Ken Arnold, my own essay discussing Wellcome Collection in the context of modern museums and their history, a three-way discussion around the idea of “medical narrative,” and a series of expert reactions to some of the items to be found in Wellcome Collection.
Hopefully, this adds an interesting extra element to the magazine and will be the first of several such collaborations with leading public institutions in the arts, sciences and education. Let us know what you think here.
Thought this supplement was wonderful. Only rarely buy Prospect - it’s a bit pricey if you don’t have an income (I’m a housewife). Bought it purely because of the Wellcome supplement - although I enjoyed other parts of the magazine. I had already been to the exhibition - took my three children aged 9, 8 and 6. There really was something for everyone - enough goriness for small boys and girls, hands on element also popular with children (especially the light up body parts model) and I loved the contemporary arts element especially the poetry. Your supplement really added depth to my enjoyment. My only disappointment is that the heart exhibition was on for such a short time - I would have loved to revisit it.