If anyone remembers this month’s only post, I am taking a little bit of a break. But I can’t let go of my annual tradition of creepy, scary museums and attractions (see October 2012 and October 2011 in the archive if you have nothing better to do with your time). So this week I will tell you about such places, and what better way to get started than with a medical museum? The Amsterdam-based Vrolik Museum is named after 19th Dutch anatomists Gerard and Willem Vrolik, professors at the Athenaeum Illustre, the predecessor of the University of Amsterdam. In a nutshell the museum dissects the human body to show you what the hell’s going on in there. From the growth and development and congenital malformations of embryos in the womb to diseased skeletons with rickets and other diseases of the bone, their collection includes thousands of pathological and comparative anatomical specimens. There are also many zoological displays, like the heart of a lion, the eye of a whale, and the ovary of a chicken. Between 2003 and 2010, almost the entire collection of wet specimens was restored. The main aim was to preserve them in their original condition. Original labels, glassware and seals were preserved as far as possible (which are recognised by a red seal), while specimens that had sunk to the bottom of their containers were suspended again. But there is more to see than just creepy things floating in square glass jars. Visitors can also see 150 medical pictures, 400 anatomical drawings, 2000 pharmacy slides, 6 psychological apparatuses, 530 items of experimental medical equipment, and 7 plaster models. So basically this museum is wholesome family fun. Remember to bring the kids!
Vrolik Museum, Amsterdam, Netherlands
