Holmes Medical Museum, Foley, Alabama

By T. Jensen Lacey

Did you know that one of the strangest and most fascinating museums in the world is in Foley, Alabama? The Holmes Medical Museum, on the corner of Highway 59 and 98 in Foley at 111 West Laurel Avenue, is listed in Atlas Obscura as one of the top 15 strangest museums in the Yellowhammer State. 

Holmes Medical Museum was the first and only working hospital in Baldwin County when it first opened In the 1930s. Today, it still looks much like it did when it was first in operation. Dr. Sibley Holmes started the hospital but passed away before he saw its official opening.

Officially known as the Sibley Holmes Memorial Hospital, grandsons Dr. W. C. Holmes and Dr. Jimmy Holmes, both surgeons, operated the hospital after his passing. In 1958, they became the first surgeons at South Baldwin Regional Hospital, and the little hospital closed its doors. 

Little has changed to alter the look of the hospital/museum since that day. Inside the museum, visitors can tour the surgical room, x-ray room, newborn incubator, and patient wings. It’s virtually a step back in time into medical history. 

Except for maintenance and structural improvements, including being closed for repairs following Hurricane Sally in  2020, the hospital is much like it was in the 1930s and 40s. Many physicians, nurses, and others in the medical field find it especially fascinating to see what was then considered state-of-the-art medical tools and instruments. 

Some people in the modern medical field may look at an ancient tool like the vintage X-ray machine, and declare it looks more like an old instrument of torture. The medical museum includes a waiting room (complete with ancient ashtrays) and a pharmacy, where the doctors themselves compounded medicines for their patients. A complete skeleton can be found “hanging around” the displays of medical vials and mixing mortars and pestles (the skeleton is a bony favorite among young visitors). 

The museum’s well-rehearsed docents can tell visitors many stories of Baldwin County’s early days. Some of the older Baldwin County residents enjoy visiting here and seeing the place of their birth. I hope you’ll be lucky enough, as I was, to have a knowledgeable and friendly docent such as Mr. Bill Swanson,  give you a personal tour.

A nice way to round out your visit might include stopping in at Stacey’s Olde Tyme Soda Fountain or Copper Kettle Tea Bar. Both are nearby and are highly rated on Yelp and Tripadvisor for their food, drinks, and ambiance.

The Holmes Medical Museum is currently open Monday through Saturday, 10 AM- 3 PM. Tours are free but donations are cheerfully accepted. To learn more, go to Visit Foley, or call the Holmes Medical Museum at (251) 970-1818.