Are you interested in spending more time with our collections and artifacts? Consider joining us for a two-hour-long art program at the Museum!

About the Event:

Draw the Collections is intended for artists of all levels. This workshop concentrates on the fundamentals of still life drawing, anatomy, and medical history. Demonstrations will also be included in the program.

Art supplies are provided by the Museum:

Paper

Charcoal pencils (hard, medium, and soft)

Kneaded Eraser

Sandpaper

Exacto knives

Additional drawing materials are welcome, but no paint.

Our Still Life program features objects pulled from the collections for students to draw from. The program educator will assist in all aspects of drawing and sketching still life. Chairs, tables, and easels will be provided.

This program is led by local Chicago Artists:

Parker Kohl, @pkohlart on Instagram

Shannon Fox, @shannonmariefox on Instagram

Brandon Johnson, @_anthrartist on Instagram

COVID-19

Admission will be capped at 15 people to promote social distancing. Masks are optional for fully vaccinated guests.

About the Collections:

Medical artifacts, apparatus and instruments comprise the bulk of the material in the Museum’s collections. Over 7,000 medical artifacts spanning centuries of worldwide medical history, from acupuncture to X-ray therapy, are represented in the collections.

Among the exceptional artifacts are an Austrian amputation saw with reversible blade (c. 1500); original X-rays taken by radiology pioneer Emil Grubbé (c. 1910); the Lindbergh perfusion pump, which enabled doctors to keep organs functioning outside the body, invented by the renowned aviator Charles Lindbergh and Nobel Prize-winning surgeon Alexis Carrel (1935); and a unique collection of trephined skulls from ancient Peru.

Fine art is featured in the collections through over 600 paintings, prints, and sculptures, primarily portraits of individuals and historical depictions of specific procedures or events. Highlights include a portrait of Dr. Edward Jenner by John Russell (1790), and a plaster cast made from the death mask of Napoleon (1821). Significant artworks were commissioned by the Museum for the collection in 1950-53 including the Hall of Immortals and Hall of Murals. The Italian painter Gregorio Calvi di Bergolo (1904-1994) was commissioned in 1953 to paint 12 mural panels in oils for this room to illustrate the development of surgery throughout the ages. The Museum’s Hall of Immortal statues is attributed to sculptors Louis Linck and Édouard Chassaing.

FAQs:

Are there ID or minimum age requirements to enter the event?

This program is for all ages.

What are my transportation/parking options for getting to and from the event?

Parking and direction information can be found here: https://imss.org/plan-your-visit/

How can I contact the organizer with any questions?

Contact us with any questions at 312-642-6502 or at info@imss.org.

Is the Museum and event accessible?

The Museum is accessible by ramp entrances and an elevator that goes to all four floors.

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