We all hate getting them in the post box, and they almost always end up going straight into the rubbish bin (if they’re not left hanging on the fridge for months, saved for later use – only to expire before you ever get around to using them). Despite this, brochures remain an important medium for conveying short bursts of essential information, especially in a medical setting.
Brochures are one of the many different object types in the CALHN Health Museums collection of over twenty thousand items. This blog explores some of the brochures in the museum’s collection and examines how their presentation and aesthetics have evolved over time.
Weekend Winter Walks – 1984
The brochure above was created by the Royal Adelaide Hospital Recreational Services team to promote co-curricular activities and engagement for staff of the hospital. A particular focus was put on engaging nurses as they were required to ‘live-in’ on the hospital grounds.
Information For Patients – November 1990
Recently renamed from Parkside Mental Hospital, Glenside Hospital was the states premier and largest mental health facility. This brochure clearly outlines what a patients is to expect when visiting or staying at Glenside Hospital, during a time when patients were kept in the dark regarding their health and prognosis.
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birthing Unit – Ca 1990 & The Queen Elizabeth Hospital Maternity Unit – 2000
These two brochures promote the services that The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (TQEH) offers to those expecting a child during the prenatal, birthing, and postpartum stages. TQEH has a rich history in childbirth, as it was originally established to support the local baby boom and first opened as a maternity hospital. A clear difference in presentation can be seen between the two brochures.
Ban The Bug – June 2011
Brochure titled Hand gel for your use ban the bug, promoting the use of hand sanitiser liquid to stop the spread of bacteria. The brochure is directed at inpatients at Hampstead rehabilitation Centre.
Heritage Office – 2012 & CALHN Health Museum Volunteers 2024
The first brochure is promoting the RAH Heritage Office, which would later become the CALHN Health Museum, as seen in the second brochure. Since the publication of the first brochure, the scope of the museum has grown to include the RAH, TQEH, Glenside Hospital, Hampstead Rehabilitation Centre, SA Dental and SA Pathology.
A key difference between the two is that the older brochure has a bigger focus on the history of the site while the newer one goes into greater detail about a volunteers role and what volunteering at the museum may look like.
Click HERE to explore more of the museums collection
Written by Anna Grigoriev, CALHN Health Museum
