19 August 2010

Wellcome Collection and City Stories Walks have been working together to bring you their first interactive, multimedia walking tour straight to your iPhone or iPod Touch.

'Blood, Guts, Brains and Babies' is a free self-guided walk through the sometimes gory history of medicine in and around the Bloomsbury area of London. The iPhone app complements the hugely successful walking tours hosted by Wellcome Collection in conjunction with Richard Barnett, author of ‘Medical London’.

Written, devised and presented by Barnett, the walk takes in points of interest from Bloomsbury's chequered medical past - from the Royal College of Surgeons to George III's private madhouses. At a little over three miles, the walk takes approximately two hours to complete.

The free application works with the GPS mapping on your phone to lead you through the streets of London, guided by narration from Dilly Barlow. Featuring film, audio and photographs from Wellcome Collection's extensive archives to accompany you along the way, the tour transports you back in time, bringing the rich history of medicine in Bloomsbury to life.

Ken Arnold, Head of Public Programmes at Wellcome Collection said: "By weaving treasures from the Wellcome Collection into the app, we have created a fully immersive experience for all to explore the curiosities of London's medical heritage at their own pace."

The guided walk is free to download and available on iTunes now - search for "Wellcome Medical London". For those without an iPhone or iPod Touch, there's no need to miss out - a PDF booklet with full details of the walk is available from http://www.citystorieswalks.com/, along with all associated video and audio content.

In addition to the self-guided iPhone app, Wellcome Collection is also hosting a series of four guided walks throughout October, as part of celebrations for the Bloomsbury Festival.

Free guided walks

Conspicuous Consumption
Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 October, 11.00-13.00
Today we see healthcare as a basic human right, but this is a deceptively recent idea. For centuries, diagnoses and cures have been bought and sold in London's medical marketplace. Join us as we uncover the secrets of 'Doctoropolis' - a place where leading surgeons rubbed shoulders with the 'King of the Quacks'.
Written and led by Richard Barnett, author of 'Medical London'.
This walk starts at Great Portland Street tube (south exit) and finishes at Wellcome Collection.

Dead Famous
Saturday 9, Sunday 10 and Saturday 23 October, 11.00-13.00
For more than a century Bloomsbury has been at the heart of London's literary life, famous for gossip, genius and back-biting. But this area also has fearful stories of addictions, obsessions and disease to tell. Join us for an unashamedly nosy glimpse into the private lives of Bloomsbury's most talented residents.
Written and led by Richard Barnett, author of 'Medical London'.
This walk starts and finishes at Wellcome Collection.

In Sickness and in Health
Wednesday 13 and Sunday 24 October, 11.00-13.00
Now leafy and affluent, Bloomsbury was once desperately poor, crammed with slums and Dickensian dust heaps. But it has also been a crucible of medical reform, and the setting for triumphs and tragedies in the lives of London's plain folk. Join us as we tell the stories of Bloomsbury over three centuries of life, death and disease.
Written and led by Richard Barnett, author of 'Medical London'.
This walk starts at Russell Square tube and finishes at Wellcome Collection.

Secret Bloomsbury
Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 October 15.00-17.00
Shhhh... don't tell anyone. This historical walking tour is your chance to uncover the Bloomsbury that nobody knows, where we will encounter spies, sorcerers and scientists in the heart of literary London. From nuclear bunkers to tales of teleportation, join us as we expose the secrets of this extraordinary area.
Written and led by Ross MacFarlane, Wellcome Library and Mark Pilkington, Strange Attractor Press.
This walk starts at Holborn Tube station and finishes at Wellcome Collection.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Contact

Jen Middleton
Media Officer (Wellcome Trust)
T 020 7611 7262
E j.middleton@wellcome.ac.uk

Notes to editors

Wellcome Collection is a free visitor destination for the incurably curious. Located at 183 Euston Road, London, Wellcome Collection explores the connections between medicine, life and art in the past, present and future. The building comprises three gallery spaces, a public events programme, the Wellcome Library, a café, a bookshop, conference facilities and a members' club.

Wellcome Collection is part of the Wellcome Trust, a global charity dedicated to achieving extraordinary improvements in human and animal health. The Trust supports the brightest minds in biomedical research and the medical humanities. Its breadth of support includes public engagement, education and the application of research to improve health. It is independent of both political and commercial interests.

The Bloomsbury Festival is a high profile, multi-disciplinary arts and cultural event taking place from 22-24 October 2010 across the whole of Bloomsbury. The event will bring together many local businesses, communities and cultural and academic organisations to celebrate this fascinating area, through a programme packed with dance, music, performance, guided walks, art, workshops, talks, literary trails, a food programme and much, much more.