Veterinary Museum  

No visit to Jefferson City is complete without a visit to the first museum in the United States devoted solely to veterinary medicine.

What strange objects does a veterinarian find in a cow’s stomach? What did a veterinarian use in 1929 to give Fido his medicine? Discover the answers to these questions at the Veterinary Museum.

Our museum has over 1,000 artifacts dating from the 16th century to the present, including:

Book Display
Please be sure to browse through the book display which highlights books from 1734 all the way to modern day.  The display highlights the first set of veterinary encyclopedias from Germany.

LeGear Trunk
This trunk containing mostly horse dental instruments belonged to Dr. L. D. LeGear who graduated from Ontario Veterinary College in 1892.  Dr. LeGear became involved in the production and sale of patent medicines through his company based in St. Louis until the 1950’s.

MO State Veterinarian Ledger
Paul Paquin was the first state veterinarian.  The original ledger is on display behind glass, but please feel free to leaf through the pages of the copy on the table just outside the display.  You will find interesting entries of investigations of diseases by the state veterinarian and his deputies (4-6 around the state), diagnoses and treatment.

Instruments
Take time to look at the wide variety of veterinary instruments on display.  Of special interest are the trocars (used to relieve bloat) and balling guns (for the administration of pills to large animals), the birthing, surgical and orthopedic instruments.

Patent Medicines
The museum has a large selection of patent medicines which were “magic potions” for both man and beast.   These potions were often the same formula, sometimes containing as much as 40% alcohol. 

Military Display
Veterinary surgeons and farriers were used in the Civil War as well as later wars.  See our special display devoted to those who served our country.

Small Animal Surgery Suite
See the circa 1870’s wooden operating table along with the ether cones used to administer ether as anesthesia.  Then there’s the circa 1920’s metal operating table along with metal sterilization units and all the surgical instruments to go with it.  European countries treated cats and dogs and studied their diseases in the early 1800’s, but the U.S. did very little before the 1900’s.

And last, but not least . . . 
Check out the selection of skeletal remains of various animals, including a whale vertebra.   There’s also a collection of items which have been surgically removed from the stomachs of animals.  Don’t miss seeing the Siamese piglets!

Visitors touch and explore materials, such as bones, animals skins and hair balls. Other discovery materials are specimens showing stages of a calf embryo and various animal diseases.

The Veterinary Museum is a place for children and adults of all ages to have fun together.

Directions: Take 50 West to Route 179. Exit and turn right. Take first right onto Country Club Drive. The museum will be on your left.

Hours: Monday - Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. We are closed on Saturday, Sunday and holidays.