Museum of the History of Medicine in Hautefort

Welcome to the Hôtel-Dieu museum of the history of medicine in Hautefort

The Hôtel-Dieu of Hautefort dates from the 17th century and is now home to the museum of the history of medicine in Hautefort and also the tourist office. In old French, Hôtel-Dieu meant "God's hotel", i.e. the hospital house where one is received in the name and under the auspices of God. Hôtel-Dieu are hospitals of ancient foundation, which received orphans, indigents and pilgrims and which were administered by the Church.

During your visit, you will discover 7 rooms dedicated to different themes:

• The room of the eternal father Originally the God's Hotel was designed to accommodate 11 women, 11 men and 11 children, the number 33 symbolising the age of Christ.
  The Eternal Father's Room is a reconstruction of a room as it must have been at that time to accommodate eleven men.
  Also in this room is a reproduction of an abandonment tower: also known as a "baby box", this is a place where mothers could anonymously leave their babies, usually newborns, to be found and cared for.
•  The Hall of the Divine WordHere is an exhibition of liturgical vestments.
•  The Hippocrates RoomThis room is dedicated to the pharmacy and biological equipment for the manufacture of medicines
•  The Plato RoomThe exhibition features four dental practices from different periods from 1910 to 1970, from the first use of electricity to the practice with X-ray and laser.
•  The Aristotle RoomThis room is dedicated to the history of radiography and to gynaecology and obstetrics.
•  The Galien Room The Galien room is home to pneumology, surgery and cardiology.
•  The chapel

A garden of Simples allows you to discover all these plants that are so useful for your health. A visit is possible with Mrs LOUIS Geneviève, herbalist, whose shop is close by