Educational Programs and Information
The Melnick Medical Museum provides several types of educational programs on campus and in the community. Virtual presentations are available upon request.
As of August 2025, the museum has suspended outreach programs. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Suitcase Tours
This program can take place anywhere on campus or in the community. The Melnick Curator will lead an interactive discussion about 19th century home visits using a variety of medical artifacts, such as a wooden stethoscope, an anesthesia mask, and a pill mold. The audience will be able to see and feel these items. The presentation includes a PowerPoint slide show, if equipment is available.
Other topics are available such as:
- Civil War medical advances with a contemporary surgical kit
- Victorian-era quack medicine and the growth of the FDA
- Polio's lasting effect on American culture including the March of Dimes, Iron Lung, and Americans with Disabilities Act.
To schedule a program, call 330-941-3788.
Medicine Making Activity
Audiences of all ages enjoy this activity using mortars and pestles to make an authentic remedy for a tape worm infection from 1881. During the hands-on activity, the curator leads a discussion on the use of herbs and other medicines used in the 19th century. This activity is usually combined with a guided tour of the exhibits or the suitcase tour.
Lectures
The Melnick Medical Museum sponsors presenters on a variety of topics in the history of medicine. Lectures may coincide with a special exhibit, an anniversary of a significant event, or interesting artifacts from the museum's collection. Presentations are advertised on this website and through the Youngstown State University News Center.
