Abstract

The aim of this article is to explore the ways in which the thematic arrangement of the collections in medical museums may contribute fruitfully to an inclusive view of otherness through the understanding of the richness and diversity of medical cultural heritage. After a brief discussion about the role and function of current museums and the shift from the traditional aspect of medical museums as “specialized spaces” to their perception as polyphonic spaces of inclusion, the focus turns to the Museum of Medicine at the University of Crete and the organization of its collections in thematic axes, in particular. The aim of the museum is to contribute to the preservation, research, and promotion of the tangible and intangible cultural heritage related to medicine in Crete and beyond it, viewed from a wide temporal spectrum. The collections are organized in thematic axes, based on a multidisciplinary, anthropocentric, and inclusive approach which associates medicine with humanities and social sciences and focuses on the experience of health and illness through the patients’ perspectives alongside those of the medical practitioners. The close examination of the axes and their interrelations illuminates, among others, the continuing and universal concerns for healing and treatment beyond boundaries and discriminations and the effect of medicine on people from various backgrounds. With its exhibition and relevant activities, the museum aims to raise awareness about the value of medical cultural heritage as an important element of understanding otherness and embracing inclusiveness.