Banting & Best Insulin Laboratory, 1921
Step into the space where Frederick Banting and Charles Best advanced one of the most important medical discoveries of the 20th century, transforming diabetes care and saving millions of lives worldwide.
Banting & Best Insulin Laboratory, 1921
The Banting & Best Insulin Laboratory commemorates the place where groundbreaking diabetes research was conducted in 1921. What began as an experimental effort in a small university lab became a medical milestone that changed global healthcare.
This immersive digital experience helps visitors, donors, and educators connect with the story behind insulin's discovery and understand why preserving spaces of scientific heritage remains essential for future generations.
About Banting & Best Insulin Laboratory
A heritage site honoring the 1921 insulin breakthrough that transformed the treatment of diabetes around the world.
In 1921, Dr. Frederick Banting and Charles Best began experiments that led to the successful isolation of insulin. Their work, supported by colleagues at the University of Toronto, made it possible to convert diabetes from a fatal diagnosis into a manageable chronic condition.
The laboratory stands as a symbol of innovation, collaboration, and human impact. By preserving and sharing this history through immersive storytelling, institutions can help new audiences understand the value of scientific discovery and the philanthropy that sustains it.
The Vision
Preserve and share the birthplace of insulin discovery as a living educational platform where science, history, and philanthropy meet.
"When people stand where great discoveries happened, science becomes real. Places like this laboratory do not only preserve history, they inspire future breakthroughs."
"Insulin changed medicine forever. Protecting the story of its discovery helps each new generation understand what research, courage, and collaboration can achieve."
Why This Site Matters
The Banting & Best Insulin Laboratory represents a turning point in modern medicine. Before insulin, a diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes was often fatal. After the 1921 discovery, survival and long-term care became possible for millions of patients worldwide.
As a heritage destination, the laboratory helps communicate the human story behind the science: late-night experiments, uncertain outcomes, and the determination of researchers who pursued a treatment that would transform global health.
Through immersive media, this project allows schools, healthcare communities, and donors to engage with this legacy remotely and meaningfully, expanding access far beyond the physical site.
The Laboratory
In this historic space, Frederick Banting and Charles Best conducted early pancreatic extract experiments that became the foundation for insulin therapy. Their research, alongside James Collip and J.J.R. Macleod, led to one of the most significant clinical advances of the 20th century.
The site now serves as both a memorial and a learning environment. Exhibits and guided interpretation connect visitors to the scientific process and highlight the global medical impact of discovery-to-treatment pathways.
Preservation priorities include structural conservation, exhibition renewal, digital storytelling, and expanded accessibility for visitors and students.
Voices of Support
"This laboratory is a global symbol of hope. Preserving it protects the memory of lives saved and empowers future scientists to keep pushing boundaries."
"Medical heritage is not static. It is a powerful teaching tool for the next generation of researchers, clinicians, and innovators."
"The story of insulin belongs to the world. This project ensures that story remains accessible, engaging, and relevant for decades to come."
Your Impact
Every contribution supports preservation, education, and digital access at one of the most meaningful scientific heritage sites in Canada.
- Protecting and restoring core heritage elements of the original laboratory environment.
- Expanding educational programming for schools, universities, and public audiences.
- Developing new immersive exhibits and interactive interpretation media.
- Improving accessibility, visitor circulation, and wayfinding across the site.
- Digitizing archival materials linked to the discovery and early use of insulin.
- Creating lasting naming opportunities that connect donors to a world-changing legacy.
Campaign Objectives
Fund conservation, interpretation, and long-term educational programming to sustain this medical heritage landmark.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Total Cost of the Project | $780,000 |
| Institutional and Philanthropic Support | $320,000 |
| Support Secured to Date | $185,000 |
| Private Sector Donations Target | $460,000 |
| Private Sector Donations Secured | $98,000 |
Funding Allocation
| Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|
| Heritage Conservation and Restoration | $250,000 |
| Exhibitions and Interpretation Renewal | $170,000 |
| Digital and Immersive Experience Development | $145,000 |
| Accessibility and Visitor Infrastructure | $105,000 |
| Education and Public Program Endowment | $110,000 |
Naming Opportunities
Major opportunities to support preservation and education while honoring a global medical breakthrough.
| Space | Cost | # Available | Donor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Banting and Best Legacy Gallery | $85,000 | 1 | Lead Founder |
| Insulin Discovery Laboratory Theatre | $60,000 | 1 | Lead Founder |
| Scientific Archives and Research Room | $45,000 | 1 | Founder |
| Diabetes Education Studio | $30,000 | 1 | Founder |
| Immersive 360 Experience Zone | $25,000 | 1 | Founder |
| Public Learning Commons | $18,000 | 1 | Patron |
| Global Medical Heritage Donor Wall | See Levels | - | All Levels |
Donor Wall Levels
- Level One - Discovery Circle: $50,000 and above
- Level Two - Innovation Circle: $20,000 - $49,999
- Level Three - Heritage Circle: $5,000 - $19,999