Health Professions Division Museum Displays Interesting Medical Artifacts

The Museum of the Health Professions Division (HPD) is an exhibit space devoted to bringing medical history, science, and art history to life. The museum, located in the heart of the Health Professions Division in the main lobby of the Terry Administration Building, was founded by Paul Magalian, R.Ph., Ph.D.—a former NSU College of Pharmacy dean who established the museum in 1996 by donating items from his personal collection.

Cynthia Magalian Tupler, B.F.A., serves as the museum’s curator and connects with donors to acquire, exhibit, interpret, and preserve historically significant memorabilia related to the history of medicine. The museum displays artifacts representing each of the HPD’s eight colleges—osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, optometry, medical sciences, dental medicine, health care sciences, nursing, and allopathic medicine.

Items on exhibit include the original wheelchair from the movie The Secret Garden, crutches from the American Civil War, physicians’ medical bags, nurses’ caps, and hundreds of historical medical bottles. The collection of artifacts, documents, photographs, and rare textbooks helps trace the history of medicine and inspires passion and curiosity.

The museum embraces the preservation of unique historical resources for present and future visitors and researchers. The museum, which is free and open to the public, is accessible to anyone who is interested in viewing the ever-evolving exhibits.

The Museum of the Health Professions Division is always looking to acquire additional medical memorabilia, so if you are interested in donating any historical items, please contact the museum’s curator, Cynthia Magalian Tupler, at cynthianovamuseum@comcast.net.