History
The Museum has its origins in the Leeds based medical supply company Chas F Thackray Ltd. Founded in 1902, the company remained private until its sale in 1990 to a multinational medical company.
Paul Thackray, a former director and major shareholder in the company, established a charitable trust fund with the aim of building a medical museum based upon the small collection of medical equipment, books and trade literature which had started as the company archive.
Through purchase and donations this has now grown to include over 42,000 objects, 18,000 books including the largest collection of medical trade literature in the world.
The Museum recieved £3 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund, this was the first award made to the Leeds area and the largest grant awarded in the Yorkshire and Humberside area that year.
The museum opened in 1997 in a grade 2 listed former workhouse building, on its present site at St. James's Hospital. Additional funding was received from the Thackray Medical Research Trust and private donors
