Wellcome Collection

As a self-diagnosed sufferer of mild OCD, I had trepidations about the current exhibition at the Wellcome Collection. Dirt: The filthy reality of everyday life had the potential to spin me into a vicious cycle of skin-scrubbing neurosis… But it’s all in the name of research, and I take my Cheapskatery very seriously. Fearlessly, I armed myself with a bottle of anti-bacterial hand wash and made my way to Euston Road…

I’ve been to the Wellcome Collection before: The mainstay exhibitions – Medicine Man and Medicine Now – are excellent. The first is a selection of objects collected by philanthropist Henry Wellcome over the course of his life. It includes such gems as Napoleon’s toothbrush – A must see. Medicine Now explores ideas about science and medicine since Wellcome’s death in 1936, with exhibits including the entire human genome sequence… Don’t read the whole thing though, it’s long.

The Dirt exhibition is split into six sections, exploring the concept of dirt through context; home, street, hospital, museum, community and land. If this sounds complicated, it isn’t really, but you’ll need to go there to fully understand (I’m not sure I can do it justice)… From 17^th century Dutch attitudes to housework, through London’s cholera epidemic, onto gangrenous hospitals, ethnic cleansing and propaganda, Indian ‘untouchables’ and finishing with modern landfill, the exhibition encompasses a surprisingly broad range of subjects. And it’s fascinating.

Fascination aside, I think my favourite bit of the whole collection was the detailed drawings of men and women dressed to combat cholera. Until you have seen a picture of a man with potion bottles suspended across his face, a torso strapped up in India rubber and platform shoes on, you haven’t lived. I’d go again just for that.

I spent an easy 3 hours at the Wellcome Collection this afternoon (although that did include a fair bit of time in the café), and I could have spent longer. It wasn’t nearly as OCD-inducing as I’d feared, although if you’re of a nervous disposition you may want to avoid the blocks of human faeces. Be sure to leave plenty of time to look round the permanent collections as well as Dirt, because there is a lot to take in. Don’t forget, you must see Napoleon’s toothbrush…

Dirt will be on show until August this year. The exhibition is just one part of the Dirt Season organized by the Wellcome Trust – There are various tours and events on offer, including collaborations with the Eden Project, Glastonbury and various other festivals, as well as an intriguing-sounding “scratch and sniff” experience with BBC 2’s upcoming Filthy Cities series (check the website for more details).

Cheapskate rating:

8/10

Good clean fun (seewhatIdidthere?!).

Additional notes:            

If you don’t eat an apple and cinnamon muffin from Peyton & Byrne, you’re an idiot.

Make sure you wash your hands before you eat it.

Got Google maps?: NW1 2BE

Nearest tube: Euston Square (2 mins), Euston (4 mins), Warren Street (5 mins) or
 King's Cross (15 mins)

Buses: 10, 30, 390 (plus loads more, check TFL for more details)

Overground: Euston (4 mins), St. Pancras (12 mins) or King's Cross (15 mins)

Website: http://www.wellcomecollection.org/