Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United Kingdom Scotland Edinburgh Edinburgh Anatomical Museum
AO Edited

Edinburgh Anatomical Museum

A collection of unique objects showcasing the university’s achievements in the medical field.

Edinburgh, Scotland

Added By
SEANETTA ALLSASS
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Teviot Place.   SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
Phrenology skulls.   SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
Whale jaw bone.   SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
African elephant skeleton.   SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
Death masks.   SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
Dr. Knox, Burke and Hare masks.   SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
Dr. Knox.   SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
Charles Darwin class attendance card.   SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
3-D model of the human body.   SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

The University of Edinburgh has had several notable graduates—including luminaries such as Charles Darwin and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle—study under its school of medicine ever since the university began offering it in 1726. Part of the curriculum would have included access to the learning tools now collected in the school’s anatomy museum.

Though this current iteration wasn’t established until the mid-1950s, the more than 12,000 objects contained within the collection date back to the end of the 19th century. These include items and artworks pertaining to various fields of study, such as anthropology, forensics, pharmacology, and the pseudo-science of phrenology.

Noteworthy specialty items interspersed among the medical tools and diagrams include a model of the human lymphatic system that has been injected with mercury, dating back to the end of the 18th century; the skull belonging to the tutor of King James VI and I, George Buchanan; and the skeletal remains of William Burke, one half of the notorious serial-killer duo Burke and Hare.

Related Tags

Medical Museums Anatomy Anatomy Museums

Know Before You Go

The museum is only open to the public on select weekends per month. To gain entry, you are required to access the website for a free time slot.

Due to the nature of human remains present, photography is not allowed once inside the confines of the museum.

Atlas Obscura Adventures

Flavors of Scotland: Beyond the Haggis

Smoked seafood, single malt whisky, and warm hospitality.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

SEANETTA

Published

January 6, 2025

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Edinburgh Anatomical Museum
302 Teviot Pl
Edinburgh, Scotland, EH8 9AG
United Kingdom
55.945356, -3.190298
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

James Lind's Memorial Tablet

Edinburgh, Scotland

miles away

'The Next Big Thing . . . is a Series of Little Things'

Edinburgh, Scotland

miles away

Medieval Water Pipes

Edinburgh, Scotland

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Edinburgh

Edinburgh

Scotland

Places 184
Stories 7

Nearby Places

James Lind's Memorial Tablet

Edinburgh, Scotland

miles away

'The Next Big Thing . . . is a Series of Little Things'

Edinburgh, Scotland

miles away

Medieval Water Pipes

Edinburgh, Scotland

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Edinburgh

Edinburgh

Scotland

Places 184
Stories 7

Related Places

  • Basel, Switzerland

    Anatomical Museum Basel

    A journey through every aspect of the human body.

  • Anatomical collection at Tübingen University.

    Tübingen, Germany

    Steinkind von Leinzell

    The Tübingen University anatomical collection hosts an example of an extremely rare medical phenomenon.

  • Copenhagen, Denmark

    Medical Museion

    A novel collection of medical curiosities housed in an 18th-century surgeon training academy.

  • London, England

    Hunterian Museum

    The anatomical-pathological collection of a man who changed surgery.

  • Leiden, Netherlands

    Anatomisch Museum Leiden

    Some of the specimens on display at the Leiden University Medical Center have been helping educate physicians since the 17th century.

  • Displayed as the “Skull of Philosopher Descartes” at Lund’s Historical Museum.

    Lund, Sweden

    (Alleged) Piece of Descartes' Skull

    Could this controversial parietal bone be the remains of the famed French philosopher?

  • Copenhagen, Denmark

    Martha and Marie

    Long before ultrasounds and modern testing, medical specimens like these conjoined twins helped physicians learn about congenital anomalies.

  • Museo de Anatomopatología

    Mexico City, Mexico

    Museo de Anatomopatología (Museum of Pathological Anatomy)

    Located in a veterinary school, this macabre exhibit displays the effects of animal diseases.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.