After a six-year closure, the Hunterian Museum reopened to the public last year as part of the larger redevelopment of the Royal College of Surgeons in London. Named for the 18th century surgeon and anatomist, John Hunter (1728-1793), who amassed a huge collection of natural specimens, the Hunterian now incorporates some of the specimens into broader exhibits about the history and development of surgery. Unfortunately, almost two-thirds of Hunter's original 14,000 specimesn were destroyed by a bombing raid in the Second World War, and about 2,000 of the remaining 3,500 items are on display. The individual stories of patients were throughly researched and included in the displays and their post-surgery recoveries as recorded at the time are incorporated as well.
It's a fascinating museum for students of science as well as for the general public. It's located on the south side of Lincoln's Inn Fields and is free, but they do ask for donations.
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