Welcome to the Center

The Center for the History of Medicine is open to all researchers by appointment.

Please email us to make appointments in advance. Learn more about scheduling your visit.

Online reference services and remote research consultations are also available.
Please email us your questions!

Countway's Center for the History of Medicine is one of the world's leading resources for the study of the history of health and medicine. Our rare books, manuscript and archival collections, artifacts, and audiovisual materials attract a global audience of researchers.

Our mission is to enable the history of medicine and public health to inform healthcare, the health sciences, and the societies in which they are embedded.

Follow us on Instagram @HarvardHistMed and Twitter @HarvardHistMed.

Contact Us

Have questions? Want to schedule a consultation? Email us.

Meet Our Staff

Programs & Initiatives

View More Programs & Initiatives
black and white photo of HSDM class of 1881

Archives for Diversity and Inclusion

Ensuring that the Center's collections reflect the diversity of the Harvard Medical, Dental, and Public Health communities by acquiring the teaching and professional records of underrepresented faculty and Longwood Medical Area researchers.

Brigham Hospital School of Nursing Homecoming, May 1941.

Brigham and Women’s Hospital Archives

Preserving the history of the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School, by collecting and making accessible historic records from BWH and its parent hospitals.

Two people measure respiration using a spirometer in 1961.

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Archives

Charting the evolution of one of the oldest and most influential schools of public health in the United States through its faculty collections and departmental records.

Research Services

Connect with Experts

Our Archives and Records Management, Acquisitions, Public Services, and Curatorial staff are ready to help you with your work.

Our Collections and How to Access Them
Headshot of Stephanie Krauss

Meet our Reference Archivist

Digital Resources

OnView

Our primary portal to digitized content and exhibits.

CURIOSity Digital Collections

Curated collections from across Harvard Library

Center Dataverse

 Access to research data in the Center's collections.

Upcoming Events and Classes

Browse upcoming events, classes, and tours taking place at the Center.

View Calendar

More About the Center

We're here to help you

Our Archives and Records Management, Acquisitions, Public Services, and Warren Anatomical Museum staff offer a variety of services for Harvard University, Harvard Medical School's affiliated hospitals, and the general public.

Our Services
A hub of activity for the history of medicine

The Center is one of the world's leading resources for the study of the history of health and medicine. Our rare books, manuscript and archival collections, and artifacts attract a global audience of researchers.

About the Center

News

Research help at Countway Library, circa 1970s

Happy Birthday Countway

Countway Library first opened its doors in 1965. Celebrate 59 years of cultivating and advancing…