Treat yourself

8 May 2003

'Treat Yourself', the latest Wellcome Trust exhibition at the Science Museum, opens on 23 May 2003.

The exhibition, curated by the Science Museum's Dr Tim Boon and Dr Ken Arnold of the Wellcome Trust, explores the many and varied means by which people have endeavoured to keep themselves healthy in the past - and how they do so today.

'Traditional', Western medicine has never had a monopoly on people's health. Through time, we have adopted alternative approaches, based on folk wisdom or imported from other cultures. At the heart of this pluralistic approach lie the differing conceptions of our own health and welfare, conceptions based on our experience and upbringing, prevailing cultural traditions, as well as a learnt understanding of body function in health and disease.

Moreover, in an increasingly individualistic and consumerist age, we are more willing and able to 'shop around' for solutions to our physical and spiritual well-being. Conventional medicine is but one dish on an extensive menu of options for those intent on maintaining a healthy approach to life.

This conjunction of ideas forms the basis of the 'Treat Yourself' exhibition. Conceptually, it occupies a little explored territory between studies of patient behaviour, alternative medicine and consumerism. The exhibition features stimulating works by contemporary artists such as Spencer Tunick, Sophie Calle and Brian Eno, as well as historical exhibits from the Wellcome Collections at the Science Museum and the Wellcome Library for the History and Understanding of Medicine. The exhibition runs until September 2003.

Treat yourself

See also