Wellcome Library

Henry Solomon Wellcome (1853-1936) was the founder of his eponymous library which is located in central London opposite Euston Station. Wellcome was born in Almond, Wisconsin, USA and became a pharmaceutical salesman. At the instigation of Silas Burroughs, Wellcome relocated to London in 1878 and the world-famous pharmaceutical company of Burroughs Wellcome was created. When Burroughs died in 1895, Wellcome became the sole owner of the company and was then able to indulge his passion for collecting specifically medical-related books and artefacts. After the demise of Henry Wellcome in 1936, the bulk of his estate and personal fortune was bequeathed to the improvement of the Library and the Wellcome Trust was thus formed to oversee the running of both the Company and of the library. The collection was not opened to the public until 1949 but the finances derived from the company’s success has been and still is used to enhance the collection of medical-related artefacts thus making it amongst the best in the world of its type.

The Library's paintings, prints and drawings collection contains more than 100,000 items dating from the 14th century to the present. They cover the globe ranging geographically from the Far East, Japan and China through Tibet, India and Turkey. Europe is represented by major Dutch and Italian Masters such as David Teniers II, Jacob Toorenvliet and Michelangelo. The majority of works were acquired by Henry Wellcome but new additions are regularly received either by gift or purchase. In agreement with the Wellcome ethic, works show historical and cultural perspectives in medicine and medical procedures. Unusually there are also a large collection of posters mainly from the decade of the 1980’s-90’s depicting AIDS warnings and information.