The Institute of Experimental Medicine

Welcome to the Institute of Experimental Medicine, Russia’s preeminent scientific and medical research centre, and Pavlov’s main place of work 
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Pavlov and the Institute

The Institute was built in the late 1880s by royal decree, close to the centre of a bustling St Petersburg, then capital of the Tsarist Russian Empire, in its own extensive grounds. The site incorporated the buildings of the various science departments, including physiology, chemistry, zoology, bacteriology and anatomy.

Pavlov in his early 40s — around the time he became Director of the Institute’s Physiology Department. Source: Public Domain. 

Pavlov was plucked from relative obscurity to become the first Director of the Institute’s Physiology Department when it opened in 1890, a post he retained until his death in 1936. It was where he conducted most of his experiments, and where many hundreds of dogs lived, worked and died during his 50+ year career.

A hive of activity

In the grounds of the Institute of Experimental Medicine we have recreated the The Physiology Departments main site, along with further buildings that were added as Pavlov’s enterprise grew, notably the animal house, where dozens of dogs were kept at any one time, and the The Towers of Silence, purpose built for his animal experiments. 

Dogs with their keepers at the Physiology Department, Imperial Institute of Experimental Medicine, St Petersburg. Photograph, 1904. Source: Wellcome Collection. 

In and around the main buildings and the grounds you can observe plenty of activity going on.

The Institute of Experimental Medicine diorama, showing life-size experimenter stand and various accessories over the top. Photo: Mark Hawdon 
A map. Design: Matt Adams 
As a way of depicting the everyday routine of animal research in a busy scientific institution, the model of the Institute might throw up some surprises — not all of them pleasant! Photo: Mark Hawdon 
Dogs here, there and everywhere. Photo: Matt Adams 
Some harder to spot than others. Photo: Matt Adams 

Making tracks

What were the tracks found in and around Pavlov’s Physiology Department used for?

Destination unknown. Photo: Matt Adams 

What’s in the bottles?

Gastric juice extracted from Pavlov’s dogs is packed ready for shipping. Where’s it headed?

Loading the wagon. Photo: Matt Adams 

A shallow grave?

What happened to dogs when they were no longer considered fit to be experimented on?

Not all of the Institute’s activity was visible to the public. Photo: Matt Adams 
Hear more about the birth of the Institute and the rabid dog Pluto 

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