A dose of history
From evolution of the microscope to creation of Dolly, the cloned sheep, the Haffkine Museum in Mumbai offers visitors a guided tour of landmark moments in biomedical history
One is greeted with a replica of Dolly the sheep as soon as one steps into the Haffkine Institute Museum in Parel. An interactive display shows fascinated visitors how Dolly became the first mammal to be cloned at the Roslin Institute in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1996. A group of children move on from exhibit to exhibit, captivated by the objects on display.
The newly opened museum is spread across 3,000 sq ft and is part of the Haffkine Institute for Training, Research and Testing in Mumbai. The institute, established over a century ago, was named after Waldemar Mordecai Haffkine, a Ukrainian scientist and bacteriologist who worked mainly in India, developing vaccines for cholera and bubonic plague. "There were tidbits of information lying around about the history of plague and how this biomedical institute came to the public's aid. So we thought of creating a museum to showcase this rich history and knowledge," says Abhay Chowdhary, director of the institute.
The museum shows how during World War I the institute was used as a support depot for the supply of biomedical material. There are also vignettes from the days of the Raj when the institute was established by the Portuguese. Before being transformed into a research facility, the place was a chapel, and prior to that, a Shiva temple. The temple was demolished and the idol was buried on the premises. It was recovered later in 1931. The pictures of this rich history are on display at the museum.
Touch screen kiosks inform visitors about the various guests that have visited the institute since 1914. The signatures of visitors, including scientists, Nobel laureates and political dignitaries, have been digitised for public viewing on these kiosks; some famous names include Mahatma Gandhi, CV Raman, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Rajendra Prasad. The museum has had some royal visitors as well. In 1895, King Edward VII, who was then the Prince of Wales, visited India and stayed at Haffkine for a week. The Durbar Hall, a ballroom in the premises is a testimony to this, and to showcase this landmark moment in the institute's history, a miniature replica of the hall is also housed in the museum.
Moving on, there is also a section dedicated to the evolution of microscopes and includes a model of Anton Van Leeuwenhoek, the father of microscopy, involved in the process of creating the device.
This is also among the first institutes where venomous animals were kept; in fact, it still boasts a snake farm. The wet and dry specimens of the various categories of snakes (venomous, semi-venomous and nonvenomous), other reptiles, bugs and insects have been preserved and are on display. Video files explain how different snakes are milked for venom extraction at the snake farm. Another kiosk in the museum displays the advances in microbiology, informing about different microorganisms, their characteristics and the diseases caused by them.
There is a section where one can get information about Nobel laureates in the fields of medicine, chemistry and physics whose findings and research were integral to the development of medicine. The museum also houses old equipment and medical instruments that are no longer used at the institute.
Various museums in London house glass sculptures of pathogens and viruses created by celebrated artist Luke Jerram. The Haffkine museum displays acrylic replicas of five of these sculptures.
As an ode to the inspiration behind the museum, a life-size diorama of Haffkine, administering a cholera vaccine to a girl in Kolkata, has been created based on an old photograph. The story of his life is also on display in the museum.
A must-see is an 18-feet-long spiral model of DNA that hangs from the museum's ceiling. Also interesting is a mural on the wall that depicts the evolution of life on earth.
Just outside the museum, there are giant cracked eggshells - mock seats for children to sit on - to bring in the fun element. The museum aims to enrich the lives of school children, scientists and researchers. "There is something in it for everybody," says Chowdhary.
The newly opened museum is spread across 3,000 sq ft and is part of the Haffkine Institute for Training, Research and Testing in Mumbai. The institute, established over a century ago, was named after Waldemar Mordecai Haffkine, a Ukrainian scientist and bacteriologist who worked mainly in India, developing vaccines for cholera and bubonic plague. "There were tidbits of information lying around about the history of plague and how this biomedical institute came to the public's aid. So we thought of creating a museum to showcase this rich history and knowledge," says Abhay Chowdhary, director of the institute.
The museum shows how during World War I the institute was used as a support depot for the supply of biomedical material. There are also vignettes from the days of the Raj when the institute was established by the Portuguese. Before being transformed into a research facility, the place was a chapel, and prior to that, a Shiva temple. The temple was demolished and the idol was buried on the premises. It was recovered later in 1931. The pictures of this rich history are on display at the museum.
Touch screen kiosks inform visitors about the various guests that have visited the institute since 1914. The signatures of visitors, including scientists, Nobel laureates and political dignitaries, have been digitised for public viewing on these kiosks; some famous names include Mahatma Gandhi, CV Raman, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Rajendra Prasad. The museum has had some royal visitors as well. In 1895, King Edward VII, who was then the Prince of Wales, visited India and stayed at Haffkine for a week. The Durbar Hall, a ballroom in the premises is a testimony to this, and to showcase this landmark moment in the institute's history, a miniature replica of the hall is also housed in the museum.
Moving on, there is also a section dedicated to the evolution of microscopes and includes a model of Anton Van Leeuwenhoek, the father of microscopy, involved in the process of creating the device.
This is also among the first institutes where venomous animals were kept; in fact, it still boasts a snake farm. The wet and dry specimens of the various categories of snakes (venomous, semi-venomous and nonvenomous), other reptiles, bugs and insects have been preserved and are on display. Video files explain how different snakes are milked for venom extraction at the snake farm. Another kiosk in the museum displays the advances in microbiology, informing about different microorganisms, their characteristics and the diseases caused by them.
There is a section where one can get information about Nobel laureates in the fields of medicine, chemistry and physics whose findings and research were integral to the development of medicine. The museum also houses old equipment and medical instruments that are no longer used at the institute.
Various museums in London house glass sculptures of pathogens and viruses created by celebrated artist Luke Jerram. The Haffkine museum displays acrylic replicas of five of these sculptures.
As an ode to the inspiration behind the museum, a life-size diorama of Haffkine, administering a cholera vaccine to a girl in Kolkata, has been created based on an old photograph. The story of his life is also on display in the museum.
A must-see is an 18-feet-long spiral model of DNA that hangs from the museum's ceiling. Also interesting is a mural on the wall that depicts the evolution of life on earth.
Just outside the museum, there are giant cracked eggshells - mock seats for children to sit on - to bring in the fun element. The museum aims to enrich the lives of school children, scientists and researchers. "There is something in it for everybody," says Chowdhary.
Entry fee to the museum located at Parel is Rs 20 for general visitors and Rs 10 each for groups attached to some institute. For children below 10, entry is free. Currently the museum is closed on Sunday and on public holidays. A guided tour can be arranged for visitors on request along with audio tools