One of the UK’s best museums displays history’s most terrifying medical inventions

Sure, a stroll down an infection-riddled Victorian alley (smells and all) or a peek inside an 1800s operating theatre isn’t for everybody. But if the thought of spending a day immersed in these gory scenes doesn’t turn your stomach, well, boy do we have the perfect cultural excursion for you.

If Time Out’s 2026 guide to the best museums in the country has so far passed you by, here’s the lowdown: our editors and writers have rounded up the 20 institutions which we believe represent the very best of the country’s cultural collections right now. Margate’s wacky Crab Museum took top spot, followed by this Brummy science museum in second, with the UK’s last surviving Victorian coal-fired pottery factory completing the podium trio. 

Since publishing the list at the end of May, we’ve been diving deep into each museum that made the cut for 2026, and next up is the Thackray Museum of Medicine in Leeds. 

Located in the former Leeds Union Workhouse, the Thackray Museum is home to more than 81,000 objects, books, catalogues and archives exploring the history of medicine and healthcare. Its 11 permanent galleries will take you all the way from the disease-ridden slums of Victorian Yorkshire to the cutting edge of modern medical tech. 

By now you’ve probably worked out that the objects displayed in this historic institution require a somewhat tough constitution to explore. Think hearing aids covered in human hair, facial prosthetics made for wounded WWI soldiers and a 1903 amputation kit. Yep, a day among its artefacts isn’t for the faint of heart. 

Alongside the Thackray’s galleries, you’ll also find a soft play area, free-to-use community spaces, a shop and café, though we’d recommend waiting until after you’ve made your way down Disease Street to tuck into your tea. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

🏛️ Check out the full list of the 20 best museums in the UK in 2026 here.

Did you see that this extraordinary museum will reopen in August after a six-year, £20 million makeover?

Plus: here's why Leeds is one of the UK’s most underrated city breaks.