Ether Dome

The Ether Dome is a historic operating theater at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, known as the site of the first successful public demonstration of ether anesthesia. The circular room has tiered seating arranged around a central surgical area beneath a copper-clad dome that admits natural light from above.

William Morton conducted the first successful public demonstration of ether anesthesia here on October 16, 1846, marking the beginning of a new era in surgery. Between 1821 and 1867, more than 8,000 operations were performed in this fourth-floor theater before audiences of students and physicians.

The name refers to the first public demonstration of ether as anesthesia, which took place here in 1846 and changed surgery forever. Visitors today see a large oil painting of this operation, along with an Egyptian mummy and a plaster cast of Apollo Belvedere, all once used for teaching purposes.

The room now serves as a teaching amphitheater and can be visited through the Russell Museum, which offers tours by appointment. Since the space is located within an active hospital, visitors should plan ahead and expect security checks at the entrance.

The original operating table from 1846 still stands in the same spot beneath the dome where Morton performed his groundbreaking demonstration. The gallery today offers the same view of the surgical area as it did nearly 180 years ago.

Location: Boston

Architects: Charles Bulfinch

GPS coordinates: 42.36353,-71.06786

Latest update: December 5, 2025 22:29