Mütter Museum of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia

The Mütter Museum of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia began as a donation from American surgeon Thomas Dent Mütter, MD (1811-1859), who was determined to improve and reform medical education. Dr. Mütter stipulated that by accepting his donation of 1,700 objects and $30,000, the College must hire a curator, maintain and expand the collection, fund annual lectures, and erect a fireproof building to house the collection. 

The first building to house the Museum was completed in 1863 and was located on Locust and 13th Streets. When The College of Physicians built its current home at 19 South 22nd Street in 1909, the Museum relocated with its original cases.

Since Dr. Mütter’s donation, the Museum collection has grown to include more than 25,000 objects. A notable recent acquisitions have included sections of Albert Einstein’s brain.

The College has held true to its promise to Dr. Mütter since he donated his collection in 1858. Today the Museum enjoys steadily rising international popularity and has been featured in a film by the Quay Brothers, a documentary on the Discovery Channel, and two best-selling books.

Exhibitions

Hyrtl Skull Collection

The Mütter Museum acquired this collection of 139 human skulls from Viennese anatomist Joseph Hyrtl  (1810-1894) in 1874. Hyrtl’s aim in collecting and studying the skulls was to show that cranial anatomy varied widely in the Caucasian population of Europe. His work was an attempt to counter the claims of phrenologists, who held that cranial features were evidence of intelligence and personality and that racial differences caused anatomical differences. Hyrtl’s aim in collecting and studying the skulls was to show that cranial anatomy varied widely in the Caucasian population of Europe.

Each skull is mounted on a stand, and many skulls are inscribed with comments about the person’s age, place of origin, and cause of death. 

The Museum is working to clean, repair, and remount each of the skulls to preserve them for future generations of learners.

fonte: @edisonmariotti #edisonmariotti 

http://muttermuseum.org/

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