The history of our Museum of Human Diseases
Our on-site Museum of Human Diseases houses a collection of over 2,000 pathological specimens, including a number of original specimens donated by Sir Benjamin Collins Brodie in 1843. This space is used for small group tutorials by students across all of our courses as an educational tool to help them understand more about human diseases.
The Museum has played an integral part in teaching at St George’s since the early 19th century. It was originally housed on two levels in the newly designed Hyde Park Corner hospital, with a spiral staircase leading from the ground floor to the gallery level above.
One of the museum’s most famous curators during these early years was Henry Gray. The specimens were usually obtained from cases encountered at St George’s at post-mortem or during surgery and they afford a unique look at the variety of complaints suffered by Londoners during the late 19th century.
You can view some of the specimens we use for teaching below. Active learning, where students get the opportunity to learn through experience and reflection, is a valuable learning method and one that we feel makes St George’s a unique place to study.
The Museum contains human tissues and organs and is regulated by the Human Tissue Authority (HTA). We are not currently open to the public but hold a licence to use the collection for education and training relating to human health.
Explore the museum