Edinburgh

Surgeons' Hall Museums, owned by the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, houses one of the largest and most historic pathology collections in the United Kingdom and has been open to the public since 1832, making it one of Scotland's oldest museums. The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh was incorporated in 1505, with apothecaries joining the incorporation from 1657 until they separated in 1722, representing an important early link between surgery and pharmaceutical practice. The museum tells the remarkable story of medical pioneers including Joseph Lister's breakthrough discovery of antiseptic and James Young Simpson's discovery of chloroform as an anaesthetic, both revolutionary pharmaceutical developments that transformed surgical practice. Housed in the magnificent William Playfair-designed neoclassical building that opened in 1832, the museum underwent a major £4.4 million Heritage Lottery Funded redevelopment in 2015, featuring interactive displays, preserved specimens, surgical instruments, and a reconstructed anatomy theatre. The three main collections - the History of Surgery Museum, the Wohl Pathology Museum, and the Dental Collection - collectively showcase centuries of medical advancement alongside the Body Voyager gallery exploring modern computerized and robotic medical technology. Visitors can explore medical ephemera, learn about the development of surgical techniques from ancient practices to modern innovations, and discover the fascinating, sometimes dark history of medical education including the infamous Burke and Hare body-snatching case.