Discover one of Londons hidden gems. (Alexander Fleming Museum (London))

Member Name: jazzypinkpuppet

Product:	Alexander Fleming Museum (London)
Date:	09/06/09 (64 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Guided tour, inexpensive, a real piece of history.

Disadvantages: No disabled access, limited opening times

My little girl was asked to do a science project on a Alexander Fleming for her half term homework, I was looking on the internet for information when I stumbled upon this museum. I had no idea it existed and was excited when I found out it was in London, as I only live 30 mins away.

Getting there - The Alexander Fleming laboratory museum, is situated in the grounds of St Marys hospital in Paddington, London.
From Paddington underground and main line stations the museum is less than five minutes walk and is clearly signposted.
Also London buses numbers 7, 15, 27 and 36 all stop outside the hospital.

What is there - Deep inside St Marys hospital, up lots of stairs and through many doors lives a hidden gem that is truly fascinating. It is the actual laboratory where Sir Alexander Fleming discovered Penicillin.
A museum guide will take you from the reception area up into the lab, where it has been restored to completely look how it would have been when Fleming discovered the mould that would become one of the most significant drugs ever made. The guide that we had was fantastic, he explained in detail the circumstances surrounding Flemings discovery and how his life was changed because of it.
In the lab there was also a locked case with some of FLemings awards and some of Alexander Flemings actual diary.
You are not allowed to take photgraphs in the lab, although they sell postcard photos for 40p in the museum shop.
After the lab we were taken upstairs into another room to watch a short 10 min dvd about Alexander Fleming, it included footage of the man himself talking about his discovery.
Next to the Dvd room there is a small display of information boards describing in detail the journey of penicillin from when Alexander Fleming first discovered it up until the present day.

Things you should know -

There is no disabled access at all, there are many many stairs and narrow hallways and it would not be suitable for wheelchairs or buggys.

It costs £2.00 for adults and £1.00 for children, students, senior citizens and UB40's.

The museum is only open Monday - Thursday 10 am - 1 pm, but if you email them they are willing to open at other times by appointment only.

It was a strange, unique museum with so much history and character, I would definitaly reccomend visiting, perhaps in conjunction with some of the other London museums as it is on the same tube line as The science museum, The natural History museum and The London V & A .

Summary: This is a fanstastic educational and brilliant museum to visit .