The Mütter Museum

This museum offers a curious look at the history of medical science.

For the morbidly curious, there’s the Mutter Museum of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia. This one-of-a-kind medical museum displays historic medical specimens in glass cabinets to inform visitors of the history of medical science. There are thousands of wet and dry specimens, historical medical instruments, medical models, and historic photographs. The museum offers featured permanent exhibits which include the History of Spinal Surgery, Einstein’s brain, the Soap Lady, The Chevalier Jackson Collection, a famous conjoined twin exhibit, and the Hyrtl Skull Collection, which includes 139 skulls Hyrtl used to refute the once-popular “science” of phrenology.

Along with the historic exhibits, the museum offers a living exhibit, The Benjamin Rush Medicinal Plant Garden. Explore the lush, beautiful gardens while learning about the many healing properties of thousands of various plants. One visit may not be enough, this museum is constantly setting up new and traveling exhibits, so visitors can continue to learn at each visit. Keep an eye on their website for new and exciting exhibits you don’t want to miss. You can also view online exhibits while anticipating your visit.

Due to the graphic nature of many of the exhibits, the Mutter Museum requests visitors be at least 10 years old. The museum also does not allow photography in the museum in order to respect the individuals the specimens came from. However, photography is allowed in the Benjamin Rish Medicinal Plant Garden.