The museum is open free to the public by appointment. Collections are accessible to the public with restrictions. The library's museum collection contains about 1,000 medical artifacts, including surgery and amputation cases and saddlebags that doctors used to store their instruments. Named after its first director, Joseph Ioor Waring, M.D., the library primarily chronicles the history of the health sciences in the state and the South, but much of the material is universal. Most of the books in the library date from the 18th and 19th centuries, and there are some materials that can be traced as far back as the 16th century.
Guests can also peruse early journals from England, France, and the United States.
Another interesting sight is the Waring Library building itself, which was constructed in 1893 as part of the Porter Military Academy and acquired by MUSC in 1966. Originally a federal arsenal, the Porter Military Academy was founded after the Civil War to educate impoverished young men. Capital Attractions A journey to our nation's political hub is as American as Mom and apple pie. After you have seen all the Washington, D.C., standard sights and the Metro ride seems like the most exciting part of your day, reenergize your trip with a stop at the National Museum of Health and Medicine. The museum is filled with decidedly weird and sometimes downright disturbing specimens that should not be missed.