Overview
An alternative museum than the rest is the Kyriazi’s Medical Museum, housed in a restored 1927 mansion in the centre of Larnaca that showcases the medical and healing history of Cyprus. If you’re interested in seeing how the health care sector functioned in the olden days and want to see the tools used, this is the museum for you.
The museum’s exhibitions range from Ancient Rome to the 1980s, with the main collection covering the period from 1850 to 1950. Included are old books, traditional pharmaceutical furniture, medical instruments and equipment, X-ray machines, surgical instruments and a filled pharmacists’ display unit, among others.
Cyprus’ medical history reaches back to the ancient Greeks who believed that medicine was brought to the world by Asclepius, a demigod born to Apollo and the mortal woman Coronis. Legend says that his mother died during his birth, while the infant remained unborn. Placed on a funeral pyre, as was tradition, Coronis was set to be cremated. Upon sensing his child in the womb, Apollo descended on the pyre and freed his son. Medical practices among the ancients were a form of advancing life, and so Asclepius became renowned among doctors.
Discover the wonders of Cyprus’ medical scene by visiting the Kyriazi’s Medical Museum that operates all year around (except on public holidays). Entrance is free through opening and closing times may alter so it is best to check before visiting.
