Distilled lives: anatomy museums in Georgian London

Discover how Georgian London's museums made the gruesome business of dissection presentable to a polite audience. Then have a tour of the Hunterian Museum at the RCS.

With their serried ranks of preserved organs and dried bones, these museums formed an essential adjunct to the business of private medical lecturing. Yet they also played a surprisingly public role, making the gruesome business of dissection presentable to a polite audience. Join Simon Chaplin, Senior Curator of the Hunterian Museum at the Royal College of Surgeons, for an entertaining and enlightening insight into the medical collections of 18th century London. This is your chance to explore their fascinating history; from the famous museums of the brothers William and John Hunter, to those of lesser known contemporaries such as William Hewson, Henry Watson, John Sheldon and Joshua Brookes. This event is chaired by Professor Lisa Jardine.

After Simon Chaplin’s lecture on 22 February you will have the opportunity to view some of these treasures for yourself as the Hunterian Museum will be open to view.

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