Музей «Sick to Death» в Честере празднует десятилетие и посещает более 250 тысяч гостей

A CHESTER museum documenting the dark and often gruesome history of medicine is celebrating its tenth anniversary. Sick to Death, in Bridge Street, has welcomed more than 250,000 visitors since it opened in August 2016, becoming one of the city’s most popular attractions. It traces the history of healthcare from plague-ridden alleys and outdated treatments to the beginnings of modern medicine, and has become a favourite with children, families and couples alike. The Standard spoke with Big Heritage founder and CEO, Dean Paton, about its unique approach. Dean said: “It kind of raised some eyebrows at first as it’s quite non-traditional and might not be to everyone’s taste but to see it become a bit of a stalwart of the city, we’re really proud.” Sick to Death has its origins in a Big Heritage roadshow which toured the country teaching children about the history of medicine, and the science behind it. “The basis of Sick to Death and why the Welcome Trust were so excited to fund it was that it’s always been about the research and the facts first,” said Dean. “I studied archaeology at the University of Chester, and many of the founders were of the same ilk, so we had a good grounding in academic research – as much as it’s quite Horrible Histories-esque and playful, there’s nothing that we don’t teach the public that wasn’t found in a scientific journal. “The aim is to provide information that an eight or nine-year-old child will understand but a 60-year-old professor of the subject won’t be able to pick any argument with.” Dean says that the museum’s success is rooted in its ability to highlight peoples lived experience of illness, health and mortality centuries ago and how different, or in some cases similar, it is to how we live today. He said: “Without doubt my favourite [part of the museum] is the ‘Wall of Quackery’ which is kind of wall of shame of bad medicine. “It’s updated regularly, and it’s a look at false or bad medical advice, so that could be snake oil salesmen from the Victorian period, right up to Donald Trump’s covid remedies. “Gwyneth Paltrow has appeared on there a few times. “It’s a good fun poke into something that’s completely relevant to today but reminds us that educating people around medicine and health is vital.” Read more Tom Jones and Nile Rodgers & CHIC wow crowds at sold-out racecourse Fire crew called to garden waste incident in village near Chester Truck driver convicted of causing death of teen in crash on M6 in Cheshire The extent to which people have taken the business to their hearts is perhaps best evidenced by the news earlier this summer about James Grout and Katie Milner, from Wrexham, who got engaged at Sick to Death after James found about his partner’s love for the attraction. Dean said: “Chester’s a great city for weekend away or a romantic break but because [Sick to Death] has a kind of dark, alternative humour to it, we do attract a lot of couples. “This was our first proposal that we’ve had on record, but we know that there’s plenty of people that have been on dates and see it as a slightly alternative romantic location. “It’s just testament to our staff and their approach, that it’s welcoming for everyone from children to adults.” Big Heritage has also helped to restore another firm Chester favourite, the Deva Roman Experience, which has been a popular historical attraction in the city for decades. Closed during the pandemic but now under the Big Heritage umbrella, it can be combined with Sick to Death for a fun family day out. Dean explains: “Deva has been going for over 30 years in Chester, and we made an approach to buy the business and take it on after its closure. “During the school holidays it’s a perfect double ticket, they’re two minutes’ walk from each other and it’s a really good value for a family. “It’s different subject matter [from Sick to Death] but it tells the story of Roman Chester in the same sort of hands-on and engaging way.” Sick to Death has also long been a supporter of Chester Pride, which takes place this weekend, with members of staff offering history workshops at the city’s first pride event. Dean added: “There’s a bigger picture for us, Big Heritage has a number of LGBTQ+ staff and always has, so it’s a natural and normal thing for us to support Pride. “We try to ensure that we live by the principals that it stands for throughout the year. “It’s a great flagship for inclusivity in the city.” If you’re a fan of Sick to Death then there may soon be another Big Heritage venue to look out for, with a third attraction set to be added by the end of the year. Dean adds: “What’s important about both Sick to Death and Deva is that it adds to the visitor experience in Chester, so when tourists come to the city there’s plenty for them to do. “It’s not just about ourselves, but we’re very pleased to be supporting the visitor economy in Chester in our small way with these attractions.” For more information about Sick to Death, visit: www.sicktodeath.org