Anatomical Museum, Teviot Place, Edinburgh, The University of Edinburgh

30/06/2022

Timeline photos

The wait is nearly over!

Our much-anticipated exhibition, 'Anatomy: A Matter of Death and Life' opens Saturday 2 July at the National Museum of Scotland.

Explore the history of anatomical study from artistic explorations by Leonardo da Vinci to the Burke and Hare murders.

The exhibition includes exquisite early examples of anatomical art, William Burke’s skeleton and handwritten confession, and from National Museums Scotland’s own collections a ‘mort' safe and the Arthur’s Seat Coffins.

Find out more and book tickets here: https://www.nms.ac.uk/anatomy

Image adapted from a lithograph by J. Maclise, 1841/1844. Credit: Wellcome Collection

24/05/2022

, journalist & politician during the French Revolution, was born in 1743. This death mask in our collection is believed to have been taken from the same mould as the original in the Carnavalet Museum in Paris.

The phrenologists examining obviously had their own views on his revolutionary activities; they said his facial traits and frontal bone indicated someone with an ill-balanced mind!

Our copy of 's death mask was was presented to the by Mons A.A. Royer in 1824 and transferred to the Anatomical Museum in the 1880s.

To see how we are using the collection today and addressing it's legacy, you will find more information in our online exhibition

https://exhibitions.ed.ac.uk/exhibitions/mind-shift

20/05/2022

Over the next few weeks we are continuing to prepare the loan of several objects to the upcoming exhibition at the National Museums Scotland in Edinburgh. It opens on the 1st July and it's going to be a must see!

18/05/2022

It’s International Museum Day!

The Anatomical Museum is not yet open to the public. However you might like to know that we are beginning to plan for future events! We have no dates as yet....so watch this space!

Artwork
Skull, charcoal on paper, unknown artist, object number 5398 Anatomy Collections

05/04/2022

We're excited to share the news that the Anatomical Museum will feature in tonight at 9pm on ITV 1 and ITV Hub. Fans of 'The Chase' can watch the fascinating stories of Shaun Wallace and Anne Hegerty 📺🧬

25/01/2022

BBC Scotland - Inside the Mind of Robert Burns

It’s Burn’s night!

Our plaster cast of Robert Burn’s skull and the anatomical museum are featured on the telly tonight!

Writer and Burns fan Alan Bissett explores the complex brain of Robert Burns in his programme Inside the Mind of Robert Burns. Find out more at 21.50 on BBC4.

Writer Alan Bissett explores the complex brain of Robert Burns.

20/01/2022

BBC World Service - CrowdScience, Are big-heads smarter?

You can now listen on catch-up to 'Crowd Science' on the which features our curator Malcolm talking about the collection in the museum.

Is a bigger head a sign of a higher intelligence? Marnie Chesterton unpicks the science

25/12/2021

Organs of Sense and Voice - jigsaw puzzle (99 pieces)

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from the Anatomical Museum! Relax after your Christmas dinner with our latest anatomical jigsaw...Organs of Sense and Voice.

Free online jigsaw puzzle game

27/11/2021

Organs of Digestion - jigsaw puzzle (110 pieces)

It’s Lancashire Day!

Today’s jigsaw image is an anatomy chart (Organs of Digestion) taken from Turner’s Atlas of Human Anatomy and Physiology published in 1857.

William Turner was born in Lancaster, England in 1832. After studying medicine in London Turner became senior demonstrator in Anatomy at the University of Edinburgh in 1854, Professor of Anatomy in 1867 and Principle of the University in 1906 until his death in 1916.
In the 1880’s he commissioned a new and spacious Medical School and Anatomical Museum here at Teviot Place.

Today students continue to learn anatomy at Teviot and Turner’s anatomical museum and collections are still used for teaching and research.

Free online jigsaw puzzle game

17/11/2021

It’s Book Week Scotland!

Here’s a selection of our printed catalogues published in the 19th century for academic and medical visitors to the museum. They are invaluable for us because we can match the entries to the specimens and models that still remain in the collections to this day. Remember the cast of the policeman’s foot from a few posts ago? It's listed in the Pathology Catalogue (the blue volumes).

Alongside is a 3D printed (and painted) cast of the skull cast of Robert Burns that we use for talks and other events.

12/11/2021

Clubfoot

“The cast of a foot, shewing a slight degree of talipes aquinus”.

Measuring 28cm from toes to heel this is most likely the foot of an adult and is described on page 107, ‘Talipes and other Deformities of the Limbs’ of the Catalogue of the Specimens in the Anatomical Museum of the University of Edinburgh VOL.I – Pathology, published in 1909.

Anatomical Museum (Pathology) 7262

08/11/2021

Ouch! Watch your step!

“Plaster cast of a compound dislocation of the ankle, in which the tibia is protruding through the skin on the outer aspect of the limb”.

From the Catalogue of the Specimens in the Anatomical Museum of the University of Edinburgh VOL.I – Pathology, published in 1909.

Anatomical Museum (Pathology) 7278

31/10/2021

Skull anatomy - jigsaw puzzle (80 pieces)

Skull anatomy jigsaw

It’s the end of October! Autumn is well and truly here in all its wild and colourful glory. Don’t feel like venturing out? Why not settle down with a mug of something warm and comforting and test out the anatomical museum’s first jigsaw puzzle.

The image has been taken from a series of huge teaching posters that are painted on wood and fixed to the walls of the anatomy teaching lab at Teviot Place.

Free online jigsaw puzzle game

28/10/2021

New commission by 2020 Photography graduate Tayo Adekunle unveiled online | Edinburgh College of Art

As part of our recently launched 'Mindshift: Confronting a Colonial Collection exhibition', the Anatomical Museum and University of Edinburgh Art Collection commissioned Edinburgh College of Art at the University of Edinburgh graduate to produce an artistic response to the themes of . You can read more about Tayo and her work, , here:

Tayo Adekunle, BA (Hons) Photography 2020, has been commissioned to create a project based on the history of the Phrenology collection within the University of Edinburgh.

22/10/2021

‘Hello, hello, hello. What’s going on ‘ere then?

“Cast of the foot of a policeman, shewing hypertrophy of the great and second toes”.

Hypertrophy is an increase of an organ or tissue due to enlargement of its cells.

From the Catalogue of the Specimens in the Anatomical Museum of the University of Edinburgh VOL.I – Pathology, published in 1909.

Anatomical Museum (Pathology) 7261

15/10/2021

On we are excited to launch our online exhibition 'Mindshift: Confronting a Colonial Collection'. This collaborative work explores the colonial roots of the collection at the Anatomical Museum and the new ways that we are working with it today.

https://exhibitions.ed.ac.uk/exhibitions/mind-shift

31/07/2021

It's been a while since we posted a puzzle so here is a 20 word anagram for the weekend. There are two versions posted here; one with clues (down the right hand side) and one without for those that want more of a challenge! Enjoy!

27/07/2021

Collections Uncovered: The Third Ashanti Expedition (1900) by Daisy Chamberlain.

Collections Uncovered.

Here is the second research blog from history student Daisy Chamberlain. She has continued to uncover the stories around some of our 19th century remains that we care for at the Anatomical Museum.

https://anatomicalmuseum.wordpress.com/2021/07/02/collections-uncovered-the-third-ashanti-expedition-1900-by-daisy-chamberlain/

This is my second blog looking at skulls in the African collection which were stolen from the sites of colonial wars. This blog focuses on the skull labelled in the collection as XXVI D 21, which i…

04/06/2021

Collections Uncovered: Omdurman Battlefield Skulls

Collections Uncovered.

Here is the first research blog from history student Daisy Chamberlain. She has uncovered the story of some of our 19th century remains that we care for here at the Anatomical Museum.

https://anatomicalmuseum.wordpress.com/2021/05/25/collections-uncovered-omdurman-battlefield-skulls/

In the first of a series of three blogs, Daisy Chamberlain reports on the results of her investigation into the skull collection at the museum. Opening the doors – Daisy Chamberlain’s r…

31/05/2021

Institute of Genetics & Cancer - Shining a Light on Osteogenesis imperfecta

Perhaps you or a friend or family member would be interested in the following event?

Light on OI (Brittle Bone Disease)
People living with genetic disorders and their families are at the heart of research at the Institute of Genetics and Cancer at the University of Edinburgh. Join us for this online event to find out about our research on Osteogenesis imperfecta (Brittle Bone Disease). Hear from the Principal Investigator for the TOPaZ Trial, a patient sharing their experiences and insights of living with this rare bone condition and what our research and the TOPaZ Trial means to them and advocates from the Brittle Bone Society and Osteogenesis Imperfecta Federation Europe (OIFE).

Book via Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/institute-of-genetics-cancer-shining-a-light-on-osteogenesis-imperfecta-tickets-154916839437

Institute of Genetics and Cancer Public Engagement ONLINE EVENT - People Living with Osteogenesis imperfecta (Brittle Bone Disease)

14/05/2021

Putting Professor John Goodsir in the picture by Michael T. Tracy

We have new blog post! One of our guest bloggers, Michael T. Tracy has discovered he is a distant relative of Prof John Goodsir. You can read more about his story here.

https://anatomicalmuseum.wordpress.com/2021/05/11/putting-professor-john-goodsir-in-the-picture-by-michael-t-tracy/

Anyone who has researched their family history will also appreciate the thrill of finding a previously unknown photograph of a family member. Our guest blogger Michael Tracy, the relative of The Un…

09/04/2021

Here are the answers to our first set of Anatomical anagrams posted on the 2nd April.

06/04/2021

An ‘exploded’ skull

This young horse skull has been prepared to show an ‘exploded’ view of the bones. This technique works best on young specimens because the sutures of each bone had not yet fused together. Donated by a veterinary surgeon, it is a superb example of the quality of teaching specimens acquired by the museum for teaching anatomy in the late 19th century.

Anatomical Museum (Zoology) 3236

04/04/2021

The mystery egg!

The Anatomical Museum collection holds a single bird egg but sadly no accompanying donor details or even a date of acquisition! What we can tell you that it measures 11cm long by 6cm at its widest diameter and being an off white colour, it is most likely a species of Swan.

Anatomical Museum (Zoology) 5038

02/04/2021

The Anatomical Museum Anagram Challenge

Suitable for all the family. Inspired by the displays in the museum this new puzzle contains 20 words for you to unscramble. Some of the words are anatomical terms and others are zoology specimens on display in the museum. Can you unscramble them?

The answers will be posted on Friday 9th April at 10am.

01/04/2021

Hemlock (Conium maculatum), 19th century

Springtime is the catalyst for plant growth and the germination of seeds. The Pharmacology collection holds examples of plants grown for commercial use or gathered from the wild and processed for medicinal treatments or have a natural poison.

Growing rapidly in spring throughout Europe, these examples of hemlock were collected from Arthur’s Seat (the extinct volcano in Holyrood Park, Edinburgh, Scotland) in 1835.

Hemlock contains a deadly alkaloid which, if eaten, results in respiratory and kidney failure. In 399 BC the Greek philosopher Socrates was put on trial and sentenced to death for corruption and impiety. He chose to drink a deadly mixture containing hemlock.

Anatomical Museum (Pharmacology) 5978

25/03/2021

“Mad as a March Hare”

This descriptive phrase derives from the frenzied activity of male hares in spring when they stand on their hind legs and use their front paws to box each other to compete for females.

Native to Europe, Africa, North America and Asia, hares have a lightweight skeleton and long limbs for running at speeds of up to 45mph (72 km) to escape predators. They have powerful pair of incisors and a second pair of smaller incisors to aid biting coarse foodstuffs such as grasses.

Our hare skeleton featured here is a comparative anatomy skeleton once used for teaching in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Anatomical Museum (Zoology) 3350

16/03/2021

Thorax slice

This model is one of a set of 19th century plaster casts of the sectioned body painted in lifelike colours and used to teach medics how to visualise the body in 3D and the relationships between anatomical structures.

You are viewing the thorax in the horizontal plane and from underneath at the point of the armpits. The lungs are coloured grey, the great vessels of the heart are the ‘tubes’ in the centre, the bones are cream with orange speckles to simulate marrow and the muscles in red/pink.

Anatomical museum object number 3175.

15/03/2021

Did you complete our crossword posted on Saturday 6th March? Here are the answers if you need them!

06/03/2021

ANATOMICAL MUSEUM WEEKEND CROSSWORD CHALLENGE

Here is the latest crossword crossword. We have graded it as easy to medium and suitable for all the family. The clues are inspired by the historic collections on display in the museum and the topics of anatomy, phrenology and zoology. Have fun!

The answers will be posted Monday 15th March at 10am.

05/03/2021

Psst! Look out for our new crossword being posted tomorrow at 10am. It's graded easy to medium and suitable for all the family.

03/03/2021

Science Insights

Science Insights Online 2021

The University of Edinburgh's cross-college work experience week, "Science Insights Online", will take place again this summer during the last week of July.

This is a work experience week for 60x current S5 Biology and Chemistry pupils to find out more if they're interested in studying biological, biomedical and animal sciences at university. Applications will close Monday 26 April.

Find out more here: http://www.scienceinsights.ed.ac.uk

03/03/2021

Curiosities from the collection

The Anatomical Museum holds a number of objects which can only be described as curiosities and this animal vertebrae is a good example. By cleverly observing the natural shape of the bone, the vertebrae, probably the seventh cervical (neck) vertebrae of a cow, has been painted to imitate the features of a clergyman.

Anatomical Museum Object number 1577

19/02/2021

Women in Science and Medicine Crossword ANSWERS

How well did you do with our challenging Women in Science and Medicine crossword posted on the Thursday 11th February 2021? Here are the answers.

11/02/2021

Anatomical Museum Crossword Challenge - Women in Science and Medicine

Today is International Day of Women and Girls in Science. You can find out more here: https://www.un.org/en/events/women-and-girls-in-science-day/

To mark the day we thought you might like our newest crossword. It's rated challenging! How many of these pioneering women have you heard of? Have fun finding out who they were and what they did whilst completing our first crossword for 2021.

The answers will be posted on Friday 19th February at 10am.

28/01/2021

Hanged on this day 28th January in 1829 - William Burke, murderer

The skeleton of William Burke resides in the Anatomical Museum. In 1828, Burke and his accomplice William Hare murdered 16 individuals in the old town of Edinburgh and sold the fresh corpses to Dr Robert Knox, a popular and charismatic extra-mural anatomy lecturer.

Burke’s trial took place on Christmas Eve 1828, but there was little hard evidence to convict the pair and so William Hare was offered his freedom if he testified against Burke. Burke faced three charges of murder but was convicted of one, that of Marjory Campbell (married name Mrs Mary Docherty).

On 28th January 1829 William Burke was hanged in the Lawnmarket on the Royal Mile, Edinburgh and the following day publicly dissected by Dr Alexander Monro, Professor of Anatomy in the Anatomy Theatre at Old College, University of Edinburgh.

You can read original newspaper cuttings on the trial of Burke and Hare from the National Library of Scotland,

https://digital.nls.uk/broadsides/view/?id=15228&criteria=burke

25/01/2021

Address to a Haggis by Edinburgh Medical School students and staff for Burns Night 2021

https://fb.watch/3eCL1ZNdqD/

25/01/2021

Robert Burns: The remarkable night a surgeon robbed the National Bard's grave and stole his skull - The Courier

It's Burns night!

Today is the birthday of the Scottish Bard Robert Burns (1759 - 96). The tradition of ‘Burn’s night’ is celebrated by an evening of poetry recitals and a ‘Burns supper’ of haggis, neeps and tatties.

Here's an interesting tale of the skull of Robert Burns in The Courier and featuring the skull cast held in our collections.

https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/scotland/1861537/robert-burns-the-remarkable-night-a-surgeon-robbed-the-national-bards-grave-and-stole-his-skull/

With Burns Night on January 25, Michael Alexander hears about the remarkable night in 1834 when a surgeon robbed Robert Burns’ grave and stole his skull in the name of science.

09/11/2020

Monday at the Museum: The Anatomy Flannelgraph

Did you have ‘fuzzy felt’ figures when you were growing up, perhaps on topics like ‘on the farm’ or ‘at the seaside’? The Anatomical Museum has an anatomy version!

Made in the 1950s for teachers, each part is made of felt and can be stuck temporarily to teach other. Here is the front view of the skeleton which measures about 60cm (27inches) long and here is a selection of the internal organs that can be placed in position. The instruction leaflet describes the flannelgraph as “cheap and portable and full potential will only be achieved by a combination of skilful handling and artistic imagination”!