Thackray Museum of Medicine Explores the Science of Poo

About

Exhibition: POO!
Dates: 26 July 2025 – 4 January 2026
Location: Thackray Museum of Medicine, 141 Beckett Street, Harehills, Leeds, LS9 7LN

The Thackray Museum of Medicine in Leeds presents a bold and engaging new family exhibition titled POO!, running from 26 July 2025 to 4 January 2026. Designed to turn toilet talk into a fun scientific journey, the exhibition is aimed at children and their curious adults.

Turning Taboos into Learning

POO! transforms what is often considered a taboo topic into an interactive and educational adventure. It tackles real questions raised by children from Harehills Primary School, one of nine schools the museum partners with to support accessible and diverse learning initiatives.

Visitors will explore the science behind digestion, diet, disease, and everything in between—through touch, smell, and discovery.

“We wanted to create something that speaks to children on their level – funny, surprising and bursting with real science,” says Jack Gann, Curator at the Thackray Museum of Medicine.

Three Main Exhibition Themes

• Colour, smell and texture: Discover why poo looks and smells the way it does.
• Diet and digestion: Learn how food transforms into poo and why some things pass through the body unchanged.
• Germs and diseases: Understand the good and bad bacteria in our bodies and what they reveal about our health.

Unusual Objects and Quirky Artefacts

The exhibition features unique objects from across the ages, including:

• A 12th-century Medieval poo
• A proctogram chair used to examine bowel issues
• Victorian constipation remedies and vintage laxative adverts
• A resin-encased poo sphere from the National Poo Museum
• 19th-century puzzle postcards promoting Seth Arnold’s Balsam

Many of the archaeological items have been loaned by York Archaeology, with materials originally excavated by the York Archaeological Trust.

Inclusive and Accessible Visits

The Thackray Museum has introduced a new ticketing policy, enabling visitors to choose their own entry price to ensure affordability for all.

For full exhibition details and ticketing information, visit thackraymuseum.co.uk.

About Thackray Museum of Medicine

The Thackray Museum of Medicine is the UK’s largest independent medical museum. It celebrates the history and future of healthcare, offering hands-on galleries and immersive experiences. From exploring Victorian streets to witnessing historical surgical procedures, the museum aims to inspire visitors of all ages.

The museum’s community engagement in East Leeds has earned national and international recognition, including a special commendation at the 2023 European Museum of the Year Awards and being named a finalist for ArtFund Museum of the Year.