Welcome to the Harry Daly Museum
Welcome to the Harry Daly Museum, where we delve into the fascinating history of anaesthesia and the revolutionary advancements that have transformed patient care. Our extensive collection of rare anaesthetic equipment and drugs offers a captivating glimpse into the evolution of pain management and patient safety.
Featuring over 2,000 items, our exhibits showcase the incredible progress made in the field of anaesthesia, which has revolutionised healthcare outcomes. From tiny needles to ether and a range of sophisticated anaesthetic machines, our displays tell the incredible stories of the unsung heroes of medicine – anaesthetists – and their tireless quest to alleviate pain and manage consciousness in patients. Come explore the fascinating world of anaesthesia with us at the Harry Daly Museum.
Plan your visit
We welcome visitors to the Harry Daly Museum free of charge. To ensure that we can accommodate your visit, appointments must be made in advance.
Operating hours: Monday to Wednesday, 10am-2pm.
Location: Australian Society of Anaesthetists, 86 Chandos Street, Naremburn 2065, Sydney, New South Wales.
Explore the collection
The Collection
The Harry Daly Museum collection reflects the development of Australian anaesthetic practice from the 1840s to the present. It currently consists of around 2000 objects. These objects range from the earliest ether inhalers of the 1840s, through improvisations in WWI, to further developments in engineering design and pharmaceuticals today.
Visit our eHive site to search and explore our collection online. Help us to fill in the gaps and improve our understanding of our collection by adding information about specific objects through the ‘comments’ fields. Please contact us with any questions.
Support and Donate
Our collection is primarily sourced from donations made by our members as they retire, upgrade their equipment and practices, or as anaesthetic departments are improved. Our collection development policy ensures that donated items meet specific criteria.
As a museum with Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status granted by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), all cash donations over $2 are tax deductible.
To donate an item, please download, complete and return the donation form below to curator@asa.org.au.
HALMA Committee
The History of Anaesthesia Library, Museum and Archives Committee (HALMA) formerly the History of Anaesthesia Research Unit (HARU), was formed in June 1996.
HALMA serves as a steering committee for the ASA’s historical trio, the Harry Daly Museum, Richard Bailey Library and Gwen Wilson Archives.