International Museum of Surgical Science

The International Museum of Surgical Science is a museum located in the Gold Coast neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. It is operated by the International College of Surgeons and features exhibits dealing with various aspects of Eastern and Western medicine. It was founded by Dr. Max Thorek in 1954.

The International Museum of Surgical Science (IMSS) proudly presents an innovative new version of OUR BODY: The Universe Within.

Unlike any prior anatomical exhibition, OUR BODY at IMSS integrates preserved whole-body and organ specimens with artifacts from the Museum's permanent collection to showcase both the complexity of the human body and the ingenuity of modern and historical medical technologies.

This joint exhibition also illustrates the progress of anatomical study from early dissections and atlases to the revolutionary process of polymer impregnation, which has made display of these specimens possible on its current scale.

Since 1954, the International Museum of Surgical Science has provided education on the history and progress of surgery and related medical sciences to hundreds of thousands of visitors. As a not-for-profit division of the International College of Surgeons, the Museum depicts contributions from around the world to the history, development and advances of surgery and related subjects in health and medicine.

Housed in a historic mansion, the Museum building is a City of Chicago Landmark and is listed in the National Register and Illinois Register of Historic Places. The elegant structure, known as the Eleanor Robinson Countiss House, is patterned after Le Petit Trianon, a French chateau built on the grounds of Versailles for Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. Designed by noted Chicago architect Howard Van Doren Shaw, the building was completed in 1917. Original interior finishes of marble and cut stone; decorative plaster work, metal fixtures and hardware; eight fireplaces; and a gilded metal grand staircase are among the features, which have been preserved. The building truly embodies the Gold Coast splendor of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.