"Den kombinerede Indretning" started out as a museum for the nursing profession, medicine and hospitals. The collection of objects of medical history interest was formed by the museum's volunteer association "Den kombinerede Indretning". The association was founded in 1989, and in 1995 they opened the exhibition in the old laundry house of former Rogaland Fylkessjukehus. A new exhibition about public health is now part of the plans for the development of the museum site in Muségaten 16.

The earlier exhibition displayed medical equipment and other health related objects from about 1850 until recent times, including furniture, books, uniforms, and archive material. The display also showed hospital halls, doctor's offices, operating theatre, laboratoy, nursing schools, and home birth situations, all in combination with written information.

The name "Den kombinerede Indretning" is taken from the well known institution in Stavanger, where convicted people, and poor and sick people were put in the same block of houses. The institution was founded in 1845 and discontinued in 1897, after a strong initiative from among others Alexander Kielland.

In 2006 "Den kombinerede Indretning" was merged with Stavanger Museum. Today the museum collection is a part of the Department of Cultural History at Museum Stavanger, MUST.

The exhibition in the old laundry house was dismantled in 2008. Pending the museum development, the objects are stored in the museum storages. A temporary exhibition about pregnancy, birth, post-natal period, and midwife work.


The association "Den kombinerede Indretning"
The museum association, who was the former owner of the collection, still works as a supporting association for the museum. They arrange two annual open meetings for their members, with informal talks related to different aspects of the history of the public health services. The board of the association functions as a council for the museum in relations to questions about the medical history collection. 

To join the association, contact their chairman Solveig Sandvik or vice-chairman Joyce Åkesson. Annual membership fee is NOK 100,-.