Paul S. Russell, MD Museum of Medical History and Innovation at Massachusetts General Hospital

Massachusetts General Hospital, located in the West End of Boston, has been a center of medical innovation and learning for many decades. From pioneering new strategies and techniques to producing educators and doctors and technological advancements, Mass General has stood out as one of the oldest and best hospitals in the United States. A renowned surgeon from Mass General, Paul S. Russell, MD, has been acknowledged and respected through the development of the Paul S. Russell, MD Museum of Medical History and Innovation. Dr. Russell was also the center of recognition around this museum because of his role as History Committee Chief Chair at Mass General. The decision to name this museum after Dr. Russell came from his legacy as a professor, a forefront in transplant surgeon, and more. As one of the main priorities of this museum is to share Mass General’s history and progress through time, Dr. Russell’s contributions to modern day medicine through his surgical and leadership tactics make him someone worthy of being remembered through a grand gesture. This is suiting, considering the vast breadth of history that Mass General has to offer. A bright star in the transplant surgery field, Dr. Russell is just one of the many doctors and innovators that are being commended through the development of this museum.

The museum has a number of artifacts, from inhalers to anesthesia tools, surgical tools, to statues of other pioneers in medicine. The purpose of this museum has been to commemorate the many individuals and procedures that went above and beyond the boundaries of contemporary medical techniques in order to develop ways to save lives in;  By portraying artifacts from both the past and the present, the museum serves as a location of story-telling, which tells the story of medical practice advancement throughout the years.

Built as a center of storytelling more than anything else, the Paul S. Russell, MD Museum of Medical History and innovation has an architectural support that can give a visitor a clear look into the history of Mass General. The building serves as an entrance to Mass General’s main area and is made of glass and copper. This modern rendition of a museum was made by Leers Weinzapfel Associates, a well-known architecture firm from the Greater Boston Area. There is an open and spacious feeling to the museum, and its modernity is almost a glimpse from the past into the future of a future to come that encompasses modern medicine. The premise of the museum is friendly towards all individuals that wish to use all their somatosensory abilities to learn more about the history and past and present innovations in the medical field. Free of charge to all, the Paul S. Russell, MD Museum of Medical History is just one aspect of the Massachusetts General Hospital entity, yet it encompasses decades worth of medical history, innovation, education, and an outlook for a progressive medical future.