Anatomical Museum, Teviot Place, Edinburgh, The University Of Edinburgh
About Anatomical Museum, Teviot Place, Edinburgh, The University Of Edinburgh
Displays reflect anatomy teaching from the 18th century to the present day and include human remains, zoology, anatomy teaching models, phrenology busts and masks and artwork.
Anatomical Museum, Teviot Place, Edinburgh, The University Of Edinburgh Description
The Anatomical Museum, founded and developed by the Monro dynasty, flourished under Sir William Turner, Professor of Anatomy from 1867 to 1903, and Principal of the University from 1903 to 1917. Turner had broad interests in evolution and comparative anatomy and built up the impressive collections displayed.
The splendid museum hall was at the heart of the new Medical School designed by the architect Robert Rowand Anderson. It opened with great ceremony in 1884.
In the 1950s, the three storey museum hall was reduced to a single upper storey which still survives as museum.
Reviews
Today is an Open Day with a difference as we present an art exhibition by Edinburgh College of Art students which responds to the collections and themes of anatomy.
We are open from 10am - 4pm. Last entry 3:30pm. Admission free. No advance booking required. Due to the laws that govern the display of human remains, photography is not permitted in the museum.
We are open from 10am - 4pm. Last entry 3:30pm. Admission free. No advance booking required. Due to the laws that govern the display of human remains, photography is not permitted in the museum.
We are open from 10am - 4pm. Last entry 3:30pm. Admission free. No advance booking required. Due to the laws that govern the display of human remains, photography is not permitted in the museum.
Drop Dead Gorgeous: Beauty, Fashion and Tuberculosis in early Victorian times.
A talk by Dr. Carolyn A. Day, Associate Professor of History, Furman University (Greenville, South Carolina)
Refreshments available afterwards in the 'Elephant Foyer' (7:30pm onwards).
We're delighted to be taking part in the #MadHatterGreyMatter festival again this year. We are offering free curator tours of the museum on 13th and 14 March.
Reminder to ticket holders that the museum will be open from 5:30pm this evening in advance of the event starting at 6:30pm. We are completely sold out, so please bring your booking details with you #doyourlooksbetrayyou
Just a reminder on this cloudy day that if you are looking for something to do we are open today until 4pm (last entry 3.30). We are free too! We also have our little shop selling anatomy themed gifts and books (see pic). See you soon!
Our Burke & Hare walking tours take place at 10am and 1pm on Saturday and there are still some tickets left. It's the only tour that ends with a visit to see the skeleton of Burke himself
This Friday (25th Jan) is the birthday of the Scottish Bard Robert Burns (b1759 - d1796) and perhaps you will be celebrating with an evening of poetry recitals and a ‘Burns supper’ of haggis, neeps (turnips) and tatties and followed by a wee dram of whisky!
On Saturday (26th Jan) the Anatomical Museum is open to the public from 10am until 4pm (last entry 3.30), FREE and with no need to book ahead.
Our plaster cast of Burn’s skull will be on display along with the strange tale of how his actual skull came to be cast by a phrenologist in 1834!
Tickets for this are selling fast, we expect to sell out in the next few days so you better move quickly to get one! It promises to be an entertaining evening, ticket holders also get a chance to have a wee look around the museum from 5:30 onwards...
Twelve Days of Anatomical Christmas: Twelfth day
Upper limb bones
The bones of the right arm, or upper limb, have been mounted separately so it is easy to demonstrate the name, position and shape of each bone. On the underside of the wooden base is marked: “Property of the Anatomical Museum” which suggests this item was loaned for teaching during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Twelve Days of Anatomical Christmas: Eleventh day
Knitted lungs
Knitted model of the Circulatory System demonstrating heart, lungs and adjoining vessels with oxygenated blood shown in red and deoxygenated blood shown in blue. White arrows have been embroidered onto the vessels to show direction of blood flow.
... This beautifully knitted object was given to the Anatomical Museum in the middle of the 20th Century by an anonymous donor.
See More
Twelve Days of Anatomical Christmas: Tenth day
Pathology foot cast
“Plaster cast of the leg and foot in a case of compound fracture of the tibia. The lower end of the upper fragment is projecting through a granulating surface. It is probable that the fibula is also broken”
... This description is from William Turner’s Anatomical Museum Pathology Catalogue published in 1909.
See More
Twelve Days of Anatomical Christmas: Ninth day
Pathology femur
The human femur on the left of the image displays a thickening and a roughing of the surface of the bone from disease possibly an infection. The femur on the right shows for comparison a typical non-diseased bone.
Twelve Days of Anatomical Christmas: Eighth day
Hand
This hand was dissected fresh, the arteries injected with red wax to demonstrate oxygenated blood, injected with alcohol and allowed to dry slowly before a layer of varnish was applied to seal the surface. The glass jar would have been mouth blown using traditional techniques. Both the foot and the jar are some of the oldest items in the collection and date to the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
Twelve Days of Anatomical Christmas: Seventh day
Seven fish heads
Our Zoology Collection is full of interesting items collected to teach comparative anatomy. These fish display a variety of teeth and mouthparts developed for specialized feeding or hunting.
Twelve Days of Anatomical Christmas: Sixth day
Goose Egg
It’s amazing what turns up during a museum inventory. The only bird egg in the Anatomical Collection and possibly a Goose. Found in a box with anatomical plaster casts of limbs during work on the collection in summer 2017.
Twelve Days of Anatomical Christmas: Fifth day
Five whale teeth
Labelled “Teeth of Cetacean Presented by Mr Sutherland from Tullibole. 17th May 1880. Turner Series”. William Turner was Professor of Anatomy at Edinburgh University between 1867 and 1903 when he became the Principal of the University.
Twelve Days of Anatomical Christmas: Fourth day
Four Pharmacology jars
These beautifully presented glass jars hold examples of animal derived substances collected in the 19th century. From left to right:
... Sperm whale spermaceti; collected from the head of the Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus), a liquid wax which was used as a machine lubricant and for lighting oil lamps.
Musk deer gland; the strongly smelling contents used in perfumes and incense.
Scammony; The roots of this eastern mediterranean plant (Convolvulus scammonia) has large roots that yield resin used as a laxative.
Insect sugar; used traditionally as a form of sweet food or ‘manna’ obtained from the nests and cocoons of a Syrian weevil ({Larinus maculatus).
See More
Wow! What an amazing, educational and fascinating place.
Students are so blessed to be attending this beautiful building. Loved seeing all the specimens, even the ones which had been donated for science. I could have stayed for hours but it was way to hot upstairs.
We had a great time, woukd go back again and will be bringing my kids.
Various displays of anatomy. Very intriguing. When i went, it was an open day and they had the skeleton of Burke/Hare there. No pics were allowed. But it was really good if thats your thing.
Friendly and helpful staff. Very educational especially the skeleton of William Burke.
Wow! What an amazing, educational and fascinating place.
Students are so blessed to be attending this beautiful building. Loved seeing all the specimens, even the ones which had been donated for science. I could have stayed for hours but it was way to hot upstairs.
We had a great time, woukd go back again and will be bringing my kids.
Various displays of anatomy. Very intriguing. When i went, it was an open day and they had the skeleton of Burke/Hare there. No pics were allowed. But it was really good if thats your thing.
Friendly and helpful staff. Very educational especially the skeleton of William Burke.
Wow! What an amazing, educational and fascinating place.
Students are so blessed to be attending this beautiful building. Loved seeing all the specimens, even the ones which had been donated for science. I could have stayed for hours but it was way to hot upstairs.
We had a great time, woukd go back again and will be bringing my kids.
Various displays of anatomy. Very intriguing. When i went, it was an open day and they had the skeleton of Burke/Hare there. No pics were allowed. But it was really good if thats your thing.
Friendly and helpful staff. Very educational especially the skeleton of William Burke.
Wow! What an amazing, educational and fascinating place.
Students are so blessed to be attending this beautiful building. Loved seeing all the specimens, even the ones which had been donated for science. I could have stayed for hours but it was way to hot upstairs.
We had a great time, woukd go back again and will be bringing my kids.
Various displays of anatomy. Very intriguing. When i went, it was an open day and they had the skeleton of Burke/Hare there. No pics were allowed. But it was really good if thats your thing.
Friendly and helpful staff. Very educational especially the skeleton of William Burke.