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Here’s a trivia question: Which BWH predecessor hospital opened first, the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital or the Robert Breck Brigham Hospital? If you answered the Peter Bent Brigham, you know your Brigham history.
The former hospital opened its doors in 1913, while the latter opened a year later, which is why the next two years will be a time of celebration at BWH, marking both hospitals’ centennials. Added to the celebration is this year’s 180th anniversary of the Boston Lying-In, which merged with the Free Hospital for Women in 1966 to create the Boston Hospital for Women.
In 1980, these three institutions joined together to become Brigham and Women’s Hospital. “We have deep and rich roots in medicine,” said BWH President Betsy Nabel, MD. “Since each of the predecessor institutions was established at different times and all have their own unique legacies, there isn’t one founding date that aptly recognizes our history. That’s why our celebration from this fall through spring of 2014 will provide us with an opportunity to reflect on the great achievements that created the foundation of BWH and look ahead to our future of continued excellence, innovation and discovery.”
This multiyear celebration is called “BluePrint: The Architecture of Innovation. Celebrating our History of Transforming the Future,” and will feature special hospital-wide and department-specific events, including public symposia, exhibits, academic programs and social gatherings. The first annual BWH Research Day, held Nov. 15, kicked off the BluePrint celebration.
Be sure to mark your calendar for another important hospital-wide event: Time Capsule Tuesday on May 7, 2013. Letters from a 1963 time capsule left by BWH leaders of that time will be read to the entire BWH community on this day, and artifacts stored in the time capsule will also be shared.
There will be multiple events throughout the celebration, which will culminate in spring 2014 with the opening of the Thea and James M. Stoneman Centennial Park and Brigham Patient Parking Garage at 15 Francis St.
Staff and employees who plan to host a BluePrint event, or wish to learn more, may access a toolkit on BWHPikeNotes.org, which includes the BluePrint logo, archival images and templates. The site also includes a brief history of the hospital and an inspirational video that can be downloaded for use at BluePrint events. If your department is hosting a BluePrint event, please contact the BWH Communication & Public Affairs Department at 617-534-1600 to ensure it is included in the BluePrint calendar on BWHPikeNotes.org.
Beginning in January, BWH Bulletin will feature BluePrint-themed stories and fun facts about the hospital’s rich history of discovery, research innovation and care improvements as part of the celebration.