As the custodians of the Toowoomba Hospital and Baillie Henderson Hospital historical collections, Toowoomba Hospital Foundation is embarking on an exciting new project that will see our region’s history of medicine and health care preserved in a permanent museum for the public to celebrate, learn, enjoy.
The collection of stories and objects will be presented in the house built in 1888 for Dr James Hogg, first Medical Superintendent of the then named Toowoomba Lunatic Asylum now known as Baillie Henderson Hospital.
The museum is currently in Stage 1 of development. This stage includes:
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Refurbishing the heritage listed Medical Superintendent’s House into galleries to house, present, and interpret the collection.
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The construction of a new 1118m2 Amphitheatre.
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Building new access and car parking for people with disability.
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Providing vehicular access and car parking.
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Fences, signage, and landscaping, including planting of local indigenous plant species and installation of First Nations artworks.
There are two stages to follow, which will include a visitor café, staff offices, additional museum storage and further development of the grounds such as a new courtyard and the refurbishment of outdoor spaces.
Our Mission
The Museum of Health serves our society as a not-for-profit, permanent institution that strives to research, collect, conserve, interpret and exhibit tangible and intangible health heritage from antiquity in the area now called the Darling Downs.
Open to the public, accessible and inclusive, the Museum fosters diversity, sustainability, innovation, and distinction. It operates and communicates ethically, professionally and with the participation of our communities.
It offers rich, varied experiences for education, enjoyment, reflection, knowledge sharing, research, and advancement of health.
About the collection
The Museum of Health collection is focussed on stories and objects considered significant – even nationally. The curated selection contains medical and historical stories, instruments, artefacts, and flora illustrating the history of general and mental healthcare and treatment in the Darling Downs region.
History of the Medical Superintendents House
Built in 1888 for first Medical Superintendent Dr James Hogg, the residence stands upon the land of the Jagera and Giabal people. It is a single storey masonry residence with a large hipped corrugated iron roof situated on Hogg Street away from the main hospital. In its original form the main portion of the house had a T-shaped symmetrical layout with verandahs to the north, south and east with a dining room, drawing room and two large bedrooms all with bay windows. Two small bedrooms were located at the rear of the house and a semi-detached kitchen and pantry on the southeastern corner was accessible from a verandah. A later timber wing was added to the northwest corner and a servant's bedroom and scullery was added to the kitchen in 1940.
About Toowoomba Hospital Foundation
Toowoomba Hospital Foundation is a non-profit, charitable organisation that raises funds to support the work of Darling Downs Health by buying important medical equipment, improving services, making facilities better, delivering patient care programs, fund research and support staff training.
The Foundation is incredibly proud to be the custodians of the significant historical collections that make up the Museum of Health. It is our aim for the Museum to promote wider knowledge of the history of general and mental health care and treatment in the Darling Downs region and, by doing so, inspire future generations to strive for greater achievements in health and health services.
The functions of the Museum are overseen by our Foundation Board in partnership with our Museum of Health Committee.
Find out how you can get involved!
There’s plenty of ways you can get involved in our Museum, from volunteering to joining our Committee.
