Welcome Back: The Old Operating Theatre
As the London Bridge business community springs back to life, we check in with some of our favourite neighbourhood gems to see what's in store for visitors looking forward to rediscovering the area post-lockdown.
This week we speak to Monica and Sarah at The Old Operating Theatre Museum & Herb Garret ahead of their opening on July 25th.
The Old Operating Theatre’s Lockdown Experience
Although the past 3 months have been challenging for the museum, we’ve had the opportunity to make lots of new friends in the digital world who we’re looking forward to working with in person and welcoming to the museum when we reopen. The support from our community has been brilliant; we’ve received lots of great feedback from those who have been participating in our weekly social activities, like the #MondayChallenge jigsaw puzzle, of getting active with our Victorian Parlour Games.
Earlier in July, we also found out our shop had been shortlisted for a Museums + Heritage Award, which we’re really excited about! Shortly after this we launched our online shop, thanks to many individuals who generously donated towards the cost. The shop has a great selection of bespoke products and gifts, and all sales go towards supporting the upkeep of the museum.
In April we also took part in the first National Oddity Championships on Twitter which was great fun and a great way to keep the spirit of the museum alive while our doors have been closed. The competition saw 17 museums and heritage sites across the country put forward a quirky item from their collection to compete for the title and brought together thousands of people who voted and supported our entry, including many well known authors, bloggers and other ambassadors.
What can visitors look forward to?
Visitors can look forward to the full Old Operating Theatre experience! The 45 minute tour gives a unique insight into the history of medicine and surgery, complete with free wifi and a brand new QR code trail. Each group will also receive a free local history map of the local area for visitors to explore London Bridge.
We are also planning to offer a longer local history staff-led tour, and a live virtual evening Victorian Surgery demonstration. Stay tuned!
Which place in London Bridge are you looking forward to visiting again the most?
The Old Op team are very proud of the local area, its community, history, neighbourhood and vibrancy. We can’t wait be out and about again, visiting the Science Gallery London, grabbing a coffee down Bermondsey Street, lunch from Borough Market, admiring the view of Southwark Cathedral, and of course, supporting the many public houses in the area!
Tickets are available to book now for July 25th onwards.
Opening Hours:
Saturday 10.30am - 5pm
Sunday 10.30am - 5pm
The Old Operating Theatre have taken care to ensure the way we reopen is in line with Government Guidance and sector specific advice to make it a safe and enjoyable visit for you, as well as a positive environment for our team. You can read more about our Covid-19 Safe Opening here.