High Society
The Wellcome Collection
On until February 27th
Free admission
The Wellcome Collection is a fabulous museum of medical curiosities and art inspired by science and medicine and this exhibit is a showcase of all sorts of drug paraphernalia from tribal cultures to Victorian opium dens and of course a good dose of 60s psychedelia.
Unfortunately you can't take photos in the exhibition so I can't show you the things we saw but highlights included, beautiful engraved snuff boxes, American prohibition era posters and original etchings from Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland. They even had some bottles of old Woodward's original Gripe Water for babies, which was basically a baby gin and tonic as it was 3.6% alcohol. We're big fans of gripe water, although these days it's all pretty tame and reasons for its effectiveness are often questioned. It might just be down to the belly warming effect of sickly sweet liquid. Babies would probably also like B52s, Jagerbombs and any other grotesquely named shot served at a hen party. Which once again strengthens my argument that babies are very small drunk people.
The whole message was put into perspective by an excellent wall graphic from the clever chaps at Information Is Beautiful. I love well done info graphics, they are design porn at its best. They showed a huge chart of how many billions of dollars a year are spent on pharmaceuticals, rehab, drugs and the US government's futile war against them. Oh sorry, did I say futile? Where else would you get a cheap workforce to manufacture the American Dream if prisons weren't full of petty criminals? ...Anyhoo... I'm ranting.
Once again the bookshop was awesome. If anyone wants to shower me with gifts this would be ideal.
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| Fancy lights made from chemistry bottles |
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| Elliot and Mr Robot Head |
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| Lovely buildings near High Holborn |
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