Anatomy Room

Human bodies

In the past, human bodies were needed to instruct doctors. However, in the age before freezers, it was a major challenge to preserve them. Glass jars with preservative fluids offered the solution. In a liquid, such as alcohol, body parts can be preserved for centuries. Anatomists like Petrus Camper amassed extensive collections of preparations.

Human cross-section

About fifty of these preparations are on display in the Anatomy Room. Here you will find, for example, dissected hearts and mounted human skeletons. A remarkable specimen is the ‘sliced man’: a 27-year-old man who was cut into cross-sections around 1920.

A little scary? Or fascinating, perhaps? You can experience medical heritage firsthand in the Anatomy Room.