If you’re a fan of the weird, the creepy, and the downright fascinating, you might want to check out the Mutter Museum in Philadelphia. This museum is not your typical tourist attraction. It’s a collection of medical specimens, instruments, and artifacts that showcase the history of medicine and human anatomy. You’ll find everything from preserved organs and skeletons to wax models and surgical tools. Some of the highlights include:
- The Soap Lady: A woman whose body was naturally saponified (turned into soap) after her death in the 19th century. You can see her mummified remains and learn about the rare process of adipocere formation.
- The Hyrtl Skull Collection: A display of 139 human skulls collected by Austrian anatomist Joseph Hyrtl in the 1800s. Each skull has a label with the name, age, occupation, and cause of death of the person it belonged to. You can marvel at the diversity of shapes and sizes, as well as the stories behind them.
- The Giant Colon: A 5-foot-long section of colon that weighed over 40 pounds when it was removed from a man who suffered from Hirschsprung’s disease. This condition causes chronic constipation and bowel obstruction, leading to a massive accumulation of feces. You can see how the colon stretched and twisted over time, creating a monstrous organ.
- The Chevalier Jackson Foreign Body Collection: A display of over 2,000 objects that were swallowed or inhaled by people and removed by Dr. Chevalier Jackson, a pioneer of laryngology and bronchoscopy. You can see coins, pins, buttons, bones, nails, dentures, toys, and even a miniature binoculars that somehow ended up inside someone’s throat or lungs.
- The Conjoined Twins: A pair of conjoined twins who were born in Siam (now Thailand) in 1811 and became famous as the original “Siamese Twins”. They were joined at the chest by a band of flesh and cartilage that contained a shared liver. They lived for 63 years and fathered 21 children between them. You can see their plaster cast and their conjoined liver on display.
These are just some of the many exhibits that you can explore at the Mutter Museum. You’ll also find sections dedicated to teratology (the study of birth defects), dermatology (the study of skin diseases), ophthalmology (the study of eye disorders), and more. The museum is not for the faint of heart, but it’s a fascinating and educational experience for anyone who’s curious about the human body and its mysteries.
The Mutter Museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., except on major holidays. Admission is $20 for adults, $18 for seniors, $15 for students and youth, and free for children under 5. You can also book a guided tour or an audio tour for an extra fee. The museum is located at 19 S. 22nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103. For more information, visit their website at www.muttermuseum.org or call them at (215) 560-8564.
If you’re looking for a unique and unforgettable museum experience, don’t miss the Mutter Museum in Philadelphia. It’s a place where you can learn about the wonders and horrors of medicine and anatomy, and appreciate the diversity and complexity of the human body. Just don’t forget to bring your sense of humor and your strong stomach!
