The most unique museum I have ever been to. Beware...this is Not for the squeamish. Surgeons' Hall Museums is an award winning Museum that is home to one of the largest and most historic pathology collections in England. It showcases the history of surgery and is so different from anything you have ever seen. I'm not in healthcare, I don't like anything that has to do with disease, yet, I couldn't stop looking. I was so intrigued. There was room after room of jars with body parts and showcases of how they see certain diseases. I couldn't stop looking. Venture up to the top floor to see the robotics and AI surgery exhibit....so interesting. to see the wave of the future. No photos allowed but it is worth the $10 entry fee. read more

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I wasn't sure what to expect when we came here today but I've never seen anything like this museum in my life! The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh was founded in 1505 and was originally used as a teaching museum for students of medicine. Its vast collection opened to the public in 1832. Here you will learn about the history of surgeries- how the medical field started and where it is headed. It was also fascinating to learn about William Burke and William Hare who murdered sixteen people in 1828 and sold the corpses to Robert Knox for dissection at his anatomy lectures. And I've never seen so many bones and organs on display! Many of the specimens show the results of certain diseases or injuries. Plus there are many historical surgical instruments, paintings and illustrations on display. There is also a section on medical advances like robot-assisted surgeries- something I have benefited from. No pictures are allowed so you'll have to come see it all for yourselves! read more

Surgeons' Hall Museums - Museums Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

If you could think of it, it probably exists at this museum. As someone who is "meh" about museums, this did not disappoint. My husband is in the medical field and I am certainly not, but we BOTH were so into it. Just when you think you've seen enough body parts and strange things, you enter a hall with SO MUCH! As someone with Inflammatory Bowel Disease, I was really happy to see not one, but two colons marked as having ulcerative colitis. My anesthesia-providing husband loved the anesthesia section and the exhibit on newer surgical technologies, which was quite interactive! Definitely take a couple of hours to stop here and see the evolution of medical technology as it relates to the fascinating human body. read more

Surgeons' Hall Museums - Outside the museum - Museums Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

This was very interesting museum that covered some really interesting medical history and gave you a look at futuristic surgical technology - the fifth floor is dedicated to surgical robotic technology. The museum also talks about some of Edinburgh's darker history - Between 1827 and 1828, William Burke and William Hare terrorized the cobblestone streets of Scotland's capital, kidnapping and murdering 16 people for medical experimentation. read more

This was such a cool museum and we spent a long time looking through all of the exhibits! My wife and I both work in healthcare so we found this to be quite interesting. Very well laid out museum with not too many rooms so it is not overwhelming, all the exhibits are high yield. Learned a lot about the history of surgery, medicine, and dentistry - not just in context of Scotland but in general. Pathology museum is a do not miss! Incredible collection of preserved human specimens of a variety of diseases, presented by individual organ system. Some really unique pathologies, with a good number of diseases that I've seen in textbooks before only so this was a nice treat. They have a new exhibit that focuses on AI and robotics in medicine which was also interesting but we definitely enjoyed the main part of the museum a lot more, especially the pathology collections. Would highly recommend coming here! The price is very reasonable for such a great museum. read more

This was a quirky but really interesting museum. It was really heavy on pathology and equipment used in the various medical trades. There was interesting history to read about surgery and the various medical fields. We also both appreciated having the past and future of medicine in one museum. read more

What a great experience and reasonably priced adult admission of $8.50. Lots of interactive displays. Huge collection of anatomical specimens. Picture taking prohibited inside gallery. They have a small gift shop by ticket sales. read more

Surgeons' Hall Museums - Stained glass outside museum - Museums Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Interesting little (footprint) museum in the heart of the city. I didn't exactly know what I was getting into when I agreed to accompany my partner to this outing. It was intriguing to see the various malformations and medical conditions expressed in preserved jars and cases in this small but ample space. Some of the things were not for the faint of heart but this museum was truly unique and I'm glad I was able to experience it. Photography was not allowed in the hall so you'll want to visit this museum if you happen to be in the city. The price is reasonable and it's an especially good place to learn something new on an otherwise rainy dreary day. read more

Without a doubt one of the most impressive anatomical museums you can visit. This is part of the oldest surgeons organization and has contributions from members going back to the 1500's. Amazing to actually see how humankind explored the human body to learn the healing arts. read more

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fascinating. not for the squeamish. largest pathology collection that i've ever seen. syphilis and TB take a toll on your body!!! if you have a couple of hours, it's definitely something you haven't seen before. it's different than the body exhibit read more

The 'Blood and Guts' tour was BY FAR the BEST tour we did during our time in Edinburgh! Gerry our tour guide was incredibly knowledgeable and a fantastic storyteller. He entertained and educated us for over an hour, the depth of his knowledge was astounding. Thank you for an unforgettable experience Gerry! read more

Our tour guide Gerry made this the best tour I have ever taken. He had done a ton of his own research and he made the subject matter spring to life. My kids, ages 14 to 13 loved it as well. We took the tour in June and I finally got around to writing a review, but it was that good and I wanted others to know. Believe me, if you have a remote interest in the subject matter, you will thoroughly enjoy this tour. read more

Excellent and extremely well done arranged exhibition with everything from the history of surgery to modern technology. As a doctor myself and also a graduate of Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin, I really enjoyed this exhibition, particularly learning about everyday hospital practice such as aseptic surgical techniques, development of anaesthesia and also seeing the specimens affected by everyday diseases in the pathology hall and how it all looks to be very interesting and educational. The entrance fee was £4 as NHS staff, and is £6 for a regular ticket which is very reasonable considering how well done the exhibition was. You get a 15% discount in the cafe if you show them your ticket. I highly recommend paying the surgeons hall a visit, particularly if you have an interest in medicine and healthcare. I would have loved to come as a medical student as I think it provides a lot in terms of educational value, so would recommend it to any medical students out there as well. read more

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Truly brilliant! All kinds of medical oddities as well as a study of medical progression and knowledge. The family pass is a great value. Take the time to learn the Burke & Hare stories. You will also find a troubling notebook in the window case as well. What did I learn today? It really makes me believe, without a doubt, the stories of Buchenwald atrocities of lampshade making. read more

What a cool museum in Edinburgh! My friend and I came here for a few hours before closing and I wish we had more time. It's in the center of Edinburgh and consists of several floors that contain new and historical medical tools, with tons of descriptions. There were also very cool interactive pieces like using the "surgery arms" to guide blocks and an immersive show of a staged autopsy. The plaques are very informative and have a ton of facts regarding the history of surgery, procedures and tools. Other floors contain the actual jarred/preserved specimens, skeletons, organs both healthy and diseased. The collection was pretty amazing although some people might not enjoy this kind of thing. Pictures are not allowed. This was probably one of the most memorable museums I have been to and would definitely recommend to anyone instructed in the human body, anatomy, medicine. Very cool. read more

This museum is fascinating. At first I wasn't sure if I should visit but am so glad I decided to. At first I thought that it could be boring and I also knew that it had an entrance fee, unlike most of the other museums in the area. Turns out, it only costs £7 to get in, so I decided to give it a try. The museum itself is housed in a modern building in the Surgeons' Hall of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. There are three different museum wings (The Wohl Pathology Museum, History of Surgery/Anatomy Lab/Temporary Exhibition, and the Dental Collection/Techniques and Technology) on four levels. The History of Surgery/Anatomy Lab features information about important stages in the evolution of surgery and really interesting artwork, specimens, and more. The Wohl Pathology Museum is full of preserved body parts that are sectioned off into the different surgical fields (cardiothoracic, neurosurgery, etc). I thought this part of the museum was the most interesting, but if you're nervous around that type of thing, you may want to consider whether this museum is appropriate for you. Lastly, the Dental Collection/Techniques and Technology is exactly what it sounds like: the history of dental care/surgery and tools and tech that have been used in surgery throughout history. No photography is allowed in the museum, but I actually enjoyed this because I really took my time focusing on the exhibits. I had never been to a museum like this before, so learning about the history of surgery and seeing the specimens was a very unique experience. read more

A really interesting place to spend a few hours exploring. If you're not coming for open doors day, the cost of general admission is £6. I had a general feeling of queasiness/ morbid fascination as I explored each room. The layout splits into two different areas on two different levels. I particularly loved the pathology wing with bits of body parts dissected. Within each area (divided by surgical specialty) there was also access to surgical videos and a history of the specialty. Needless to say, my time was spent watching videos of varying surgeries- so gross and yet so awesome! The area that covers the history was also very interesting and a real eye opener. I probably wouldn't reccomend this for a family day out or people with children, but if you're in the area with some time to kill its definitely worth checking out. read more

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I love Surgeon's Hall. I first visited with a friend who has an equally morbid curiosity and we had a great time. Surgeon's Hall is run by the Royal College of Surgeons and is generally regarded as having one of the most important collections of its type in the world. Surgeon's Hall is essentially a medical museum charting the progress and development of dentistry and medicine. It is full of some very illustrative displays to bring this area of history to life! There are lots of gruesome things in jars and bits of pickled body parts. Although this is entertaining (for some) there is a genuinely educational and interesting side to all this, and the displays in Surgeon's Hall are informative without being overbearing. The Museum is really very big and don't expect to visit it all in one afternoon. I certainly needed more than one visit. The first big room is an exhibition about the history of dentistry. I didn't imagine I would enjoy this, but it was actually really fascinating (be glad you live in the 21st century). You will then move on to the largest section, a history of surgery from Roman times to present day. Further into the museum is a section on sports medicine and other exhibitions like the ever popular Burke and Hare exhibit. Maybe not great for a family day out but fantastic if you have any interest at all in medicine, or a fascination with the gruesome. Highly recomended! read more

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If you're interested in the history of medicine, if you are studying medicine or you are just plain curious - you will love this museum. It has a history of surgery section, modern surgery and dentistry section and a pathology section (with TWO whole floors of various pathology specimens, divided by systems) I spend 3 hours in there and still thought like I didn't get enough read more

I visited the surgeons hall museum again after 3 years and it was just as gruesome end disturbing as I remember, full of hearts and lungs and fingers and toes and eyeballs and teeth and every part of the anatomy stored in pickle jars, feet with gangrene, lungs of someone with Bronchiectasis like I have, hearts with mitral valve stenosis like I have, skulls with gunshot wounds, foetus's, everything you could imagine all on display, It is a place that needs to be seen to be believed, if you can stomach it. I found it really interesting, and learning more about Burke and Hare and Charles Bell and Alexander Monro and the dissecting tools they used. There are a few criticisms though and the first is, you are not allowed to take photo's, I can kind of understand no photos in the pickle jar room but I would've loved to have taken a photo of the bust of Alexander Monro and the operating theatre and tools in the first room. Also i wasn't to excited with the items in the gift shop, in my opinion there could be more imaginative, more exciting things to sell than magnets and tea towels. but i definitely recommend, its haunting and disturbing but its different! read more

I have to be honest, the first time I went to this museum it was under duress. But as much as it kills me to have to say it, I'm glad my parents dragged me along. In fact, I've been back on several subsequent occasions with friends! This place is fascinating. It's tucked away in a little square just behind the imposing Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh building, where you buy your tickets from the main reception. There are always new exhibits coming and going, but on top of that there are 5 resident sections: The History of Dentistry is your first stop, with life-sized models and recreations of early 19th-Century dental surgeries, and fantastically preserved original tools of this torturous trade. Then you pass along to the History of Surgery, again with enough gory models and early drawings/diagrams to keep kids (or me!) entertained, whilst there is also plenty for the more science-minded to have a read of. Upstairs there's an exhibition of Sport, Surgery and Physical Wellbeing - this is definitely the more modern section of the museum, and anyone with an interest in sports or physio will no doubt find this bit fascinating. But my two favourite sections are the Burke and Hare exhibit and the History of Pathology. I thought I knew the infamous Burke and Hare story until I went along and had a read of the various sources and exhibits unavailable in other museums. If you're a tourist wanting to learn more about Edinburgh's famous history then this bit will definitely appeal to you. But they save the best until last: the History of Pathology. I have to be honest, it's not for those of you with weak stomachs, but as long as you're not on your way somewhere for lunch immediately afterwards I can't recommend this section highly enough. There is every kind of body part imaginable, infected with every single disease you could think of, pickled and preserved disturbingly well in jars of all shapes and sizes. They even have body parts of soldiers form the Crimean War still with canonball fragments embedded in them. Definitely worth a visit, and great value for money (although it's only open on weekends during the Edinburgh Festival and Easter Holidays). read more

Surgeons' Hall Museums - image courtesy of www.museum.rcsed.ac.uk - Museums Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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While I was hoping it would be more like the Mutter Museum, Surgeons Hall did not disappoint. Not for the weak of heart and stomach, the museum is chock full of old bones, pickled bits in jars, plaster & wax casts and a heaping dose of educational information to boot. At the entrance, there's a dentistry room which isn't very gory at all - even I, who slips into a panic attack from just sitting in the dentists chair, managed to enjoy learning about the history of dentistry and looking at old tools, dentures and things. Once you're in the museum proper, you're presented with a wealth of information on the history of medicine in Scotland, and Edinburgh specifically. There's a bit on midwifery, the Burke & Hare section, some stuff about sports medicine that I skipped and a little about modern surgery, plastic and the like. The best part is definitely in the back. There's a big section on Arthur Conan Doyle (Holmes & Watson and their real-life chirurgeon muses) and loads on war medicine. It's pretty incredible, and rather sobering, to see what a musket ball or a saber can do to the human body. I wish we had been allowed upstairs, as I could spot shelves and shelves of bones and jars, some amazing scoliosis-curved spines that weren't on display below and just loads of other disgusting and fascinating things. Surgeons Hall Museum is a great place for those who are interested in anatomy and the history of medicine, but it's also good for those who just want to gape at oddities and be slightly grossed out. Watch out - you just might learn something in the process! read more

Oh, MORBID! Spooky, fascinating, sickening, eye-opening: you can say all of these things about the Surgeons' Hall Museum. If you have a background in the sciences like myself, or if you find the grim and gory history of human anatomy intriguing, OR if you just want to say, "Thank God I live in 2017 where I won't get rickets!!" then you should set foot inside these halls! I was told by my companion for the evening that the Surgeons' Hall Museum was recently refurbished, and indeed it had been covered up by scaffolding seemingly since I moved to Edinburgh several years ago. I'd never seen it before this visit, but my friend assured me it was a vast improvement. It certainly was impressive enough to me, with lots of bright and shiny new wooden flooring, spacious and well presented casings brimming full of all bits and pieces of human anatomy, and even a mock surgery demonstration area with a digital "subject" laid out just like in olden times. Honestly worth a visit to anyone with an interest in science, history, and looking at penises in jars. Awesome! (For those of sensitive constitutions--perhaps this one is not for you!) read more

Grotesque. Horrible. Creepy. Stomach churning. Fascinating. I loved it! You must go here. Took me over two hours to get around the exhibits, and I left without seeing everything. An amazing yet blood curdling collection of surgical instruments, stories about medicine and thousands of curiosities, picked parts, varnished veins and wax-cast death masks. Gun shot wounds, cancerous tumours, maladies and problems from across the centuries. I'm not sure what was more frightening... The stuff people used to have to deal with, or the stuff that surgeons and doctors used to use on people that had stuff to deal with... read more

Brilliant! Your entry fee includes the Surgeon's Hall museum, pathology museum, and dentistry museum, as well as the current exhibition they're hosting. It's quite large, with three stories of exhibits all together. There are plenty of interesting exhibition pieces, including organs and surgeon's kits with information on how instruments were used, deformed and deseased bones, skin and organs, row upon row of specimen in the pathology museum, a lot of information about procedures, studies and the history of medical development, and much more. If you're very squeamish, this probably isn't for you. But if you're at all interested in the study of the human body and the history of medical science, this place is a treasure trove! read more

If you get a chance to visit on doors open day (every Sept) it will amaze, thrill & repulse in equal measures - especially the contents of the glass jars upstairs! As a previous student of Forensic Medicine I loved this place and could happily spend hours looking through the collections here. Downstairs there is an amazing collection of surgical instruments from through the ages. The staff are fantastic & have a repertoire of amazing stories. read more

Like Claire C said - it is horrible and creepy but if you love bits of dissected brain and seeing what cancer actually looks like, then this is the place to come. We came here on Doors Open Day and it was a total treat! The upstairs section with all the 'stuff in jars' is usually closed to the public but with it being DoD, we got a tour upstairs and it was fascinating. Great range of surgical instruments, great historical details on the development of surgery in Edinburgh hospitals and by famous medics, it is a great way to also learn about the city too. There's the gory stuff about instruments - 'they used to use THAT?!?' but it's weirdly fascinating and no matter what part of your body you grab to check it is where it should be, you can't look away either. Staff are really knowledgable and have great stories about coming into work to find random 'jars' with all sorts of gruesome stuff on their desks on an average Monday morning. I'm definitely hoping to go back next year! read more

I want a medal and I want it to say I'm the bravest boy in Scotland!!! Honestly they should at least give you a t-shirt saying 'I made it round the Surgeon's Hall Museum without losing my Breakfast'. Perfect for those with a little morbid curiosity and those genuinely interested in the history of surgery and human anatomy. The Easter weekend saw a 'back from the grave' special performance by Prof. Joseph Lister who, dressed in period costume, entertained a small audience with tales of his pioneering techniques. I ran out of steam after an hour and half wandering around exhibits that included a face in a jar (I kid you not) and a tattooed chest complete with hairy bits. My only regret was not waiting until I'd had lunch before my visit. The best I could manage after was a little salad without dressing! On a more serious note, the trip does make you think about the skin you're in and how fragile we all are. Nice. read more

If you like looking at super gross stuff or were a fan of CSI this is the place for you! We went on the opening weekend, and it was so much fun watching how repulsed people were. Other reviews say that they wouldn't recommend this to families or children, but I totally disagree! Kids seemed to love it more than the adults, and at the end of the day its just all the stuff we have inside us anyway. The body parts riddled in syphilis and other sti's really reminded me to get a check up... read more

I visited this museum with my family, including two kids aged 9 and 13. We're so glad we went - it was fascinating and well worth the entrance fee. Fortunately, none of us are squeamish but clearly the exhibits wouldn't be suitable for everyone. We could only stay an hour because of time constraints, but it's a place that deserves a much longer visit. I'm looking forward to returning when I've got more time. read more

OK I have to warn you - DO NOT COME HERE IF YOU ARE QUEASY OR HAVE A SENSITIVE STOMACH, i.e. are easily freaked out by gory yucky stuff. It basically offers a rare insight in the evolution of the medical practise in Edinburgh, one of the leading centres in the field. This museum combines history and the body, so if CSI does not freak you out, and you have an appetite for gruesome history then this is the place for you. It's hardly noticeable and you will find signs directing to it from in front of the Surgeons Hall. Experience the evolution of medical and dental practise- and feel grateful to simple things like anaesthesia and x-rays!! There is also a room with human abnormalities, including some deformed foetuses and limbs in jars (don't say I didn't warn you!) A lot of the exhibits in fact come from the original museum establish in the Old Medical School next to Teviot Row House. You should keep in mind that by examining mutations and diseases this way, medicine evolved. However, as you may notice for yourself, it's fascinating how in almost every case you will read about museum, when someone is trying to change or improve medical practise, he is met by a huge reaction and negativity by his colleagues ( and the press) until lo and behold, antiseptics for example do actually work. Ah humans! There is also an interesting section on the inspiration of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle- a medical practitioner in Edinburgh, also known as the author of the famous Sherlock Holmes. Definitely worth a visit! read more

Surgeons' Hall Museums - Surgeon's Hall Entrance from Nicholson Street - Museums Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

It helps to have a strong stomach and/or be a health care professional too since some might find some of the exhibits gruesome. My girlfriend and I are both physicians so for us it was interesting as a histortical curosity and as an exhibit of our medical forebearers and their accomplishments which we now take for granted. The regular exhibits feature some prominent physicians and surgeons of Edinburgh and gives some info about their lives and careers. In the side rooms they have anatomical specimens, some information about old and contemporary treatments, and a small corner dedicated to dentistry history. Definitely worth a look. Visited June 2011 read more

I loved my visit here. Working in healthcare and specifically in the Perioperative realm, this visit was truly gratifying and worth the time. So much of our surgical and dental history takes place in a very easy and understanding manner as things are explained and witnessed as you go through the different rooms and view the exhibits. From the days of very early medicine though the world war years and then to present day is amazing. For those that work in surgery as I do, it was quite remarkable that the amputation kits and instruments of the 18th and 19th century have not differed much to what we currently use in practice. Please take time out of your busy agendas and make the Surgeon's Hall Museum a stop while visiting Edinburgh. read more

I was taken here as an anniversary treat by my fiance. I know that sounds quite unromantic but I had been wanting to visit it for years. We had a really good time, it was incredibly interesting. Yes, you do have to have a strong stomach for it. I did cringe a bit at the feet with gangrene but it was fascinating nonetheless. It's a small museum, doesn't take more than an hour to go around and see everything. There's a lot of information about the surgeons and medical history, focussing specifically on Edinburgh University Medical School. The staff are very knowledgeable and friendly. There was a nice lady working there who came and told us all about the bullet wound injuries from (I think) the First World War. I won't be rushing back to do it again because, as I said, it isn't very big. But I would most definitely recommend a visit if you're in the area and have an hour or two to spare. I can't remember exactly how much the tickets were but they were certainly not expensive and they are also a nice little souvenir. read more

Behind the Royal College of Surgeons building sits this alternative museum, and I will second Anna's advice that this isn't for those of you who wince when you're having blood taken- it's a bit gory. It really is interesting, with changing exhibitions, and permanent displays such as the Pathology museum which holds collections of anatomy to help with research into disease, really really interesting to learn about. I also enjoyed the Conan Doyle exhibition which included original letters and artworks. I quickly scanned through the dental exhibition because that sort of stuff scares the shit out of me so the less I know about what dentists do to my gub the better, but I'm sure it would have been interesting to someone who can stomach a filling without blubbing like a child! The most gruesome part for me at least was the human abnormalities section which had portraits of said abnormalities and actual things floating in jars, which gave me the boak. No thanks. Other than that, it really is very interesting. Obviously moreso to medical students, but well worth a visit to learn more about our fascinating bodies! read more