Intriguing Leeches - Museum exhibition

Student - Qian Gao

Supervisor - Sophie Waring

This museum project concerns the intriguing place of leeches in medical treatments and how their use has shifted from ancient practice to contemporary medicine. The proposed exhibit would educate the public that leeches, a historical staple in medicine, are still in use today because of special therapeutic features that affect blood coagulability and circulation. Using displays of live leeches, the project is immersive since it allows the public to see these organisms up close and learn about the care, feeding, and handling of the species. The exhibit is designed for young teenagers and their families in a straightforward, legible, interactive manner. Well-designed labels will explain the science behind leech therapy in layman's terms, while visualization show its ancient and modern practices.  

The installations will focus on a clear comparison between use and non-use, past vs. present, providing the viewer with an excellent opportunity to understand better how tradition and innovation meet in science. The visitors will also be reflective enough to respond to questions after the experience—did they learn anything new, or did they find the exhibition interesting? This is how the leech therapy science project relates to broader themes in medical history and biology and communicates science to a wider audience with all its implications, terms, and challenges.