Wellcome Library

The Wellcome Library is a research library on Euston Road in London focused on the history of medicine and human health. The building holds books, manuscripts, archives, films, and digital databases collected over many centuries.

The library was founded in 1900 by Henry Solomon Wellcome and opened to the public in 1949. Architect Septimus Warwick designed the building that now houses one of the world's major collections on medical history.

The library holds medical knowledge from many different cultures around the world. Visitors can see books and manuscripts from Africa, Asia, and Europe that show how people in different places understood and treated illness.

The collections are open to researchers and interested visitors, with materials ranging from medieval documents to modern media formats. Plan enough time to move through the different sections and explore the various types of materials.

The collection includes rare texts on alchemy, witchcraft, and other unexpected subjects alongside conventional medical works. These materials show how healing practices and folk beliefs were often intertwined in earlier times.

Inception: 1900

Founders: Henry Solomon Wellcome

Architects: Septimus Warwick

Official opening: December 1949

Part of: Wellcome Collection

Address: 183 Euston Road, London, NW1 2BE

Phone: +442076118722

Email: library@wellcome.ac.uk

Website: http://wellcomelibrary.org

GPS coordinates: 51.52570,-0.13490

Latest update: December 10, 2025 15:53