To collect, preserve and display artefacts of a medical nature
Our New Location
The entire Museum Collection has now been successfully relocated to our new site at Innovation Park, 185 Kirk Road. Please refer to the map for directions.
New facility progress report
By the end of January of 2025, the Cotter team had completed the transfer of 1300 cartons and many large objects to the new site at Innovation Park in Templeton. At that point, volunteers started work on the installation of new shelving, unpacking boxes and developing protocols for the establishment and day-to-day running of our new ‘Collections and Research Facility’.
Ten months on and the emphasis has now shifted to the archives, including both new catalogue entries and the updating of existing ‘Past Perfect’ files. Once this is completed, then equivalent work will be undertaken on our extensive photograph and object collections. Ultimately the aim is to have both the archive data base and our photograph collection accessible on-line. While all this is going on, we continue to accept new acquisitions (a late 1950’s early 60’s Carl Zeiss Operating Microscope was delivered last week) and welcome visitors to our facility (by appointment only).
Directions to Innovation Park and Cotter Medical History Research and Collection Store at Agri Magic Building.
The Cotter Medical History Museum
The museum holds items belonging to The Cotter Medical History Trust founded by Christchurch surgeon, the late Pat Cotter. The collection included historic artefacts, photographs, books and documents relating to all aspects of health care: surgery, medicine, nursing, dentistry, pharmacy, laboratory and administration. A considerable asset is Pat’s collection of biographical notes on over 1,000 Canterbury doctors.
The Trust maintains static displays in Christchurch’s hospitals, clinics, health centres and laboratories. The Stephen Clark Microscope Collection in the public foyer of the University of Otago, Christchurch, is an outstanding exhibit. Many more microscopes from this collection are held in the museum.
In 2017 the Cotter Medical History Museum’s collection was designated as being of National Significance by the Museum of New Zealand, Te Papa Tongarewa.
At the Isaac Conservation and Wildlife Heritage Trust’s Heritage Village The Cotter Medical History Trust has equipped a school dental clinic and a house with a 1940s doctor’s surgery, operating theatre and medical and nursing exhibits.
Donations
We rely on volunteers to manage and preserve the museum’s collection and to publish books on New Zealand’s medical history using the museum’s resources.
We would greatly appreciate monetary donations to help us continue in this venture. We are a Registered Charity No. CC38402.
Donations and payments for books can be made through SBS account no. 031355 0557857 00
Acknowledgements
We wish to acknowledge the assistance given by the following organisations during our shift to Innovation Park. We are most grateful for their assistance as we further develop the Collection for the future.- Rookwood Holdings Ltd
- Victor Packaging Ltd
- Chaos Collectables
- NHR Rentals
