View source for Mutter Museum

{{Infobox Museum
| name = Mütter Museum
| type = Medical history museum
| address = 19 S 22nd Street
| neighborhood = Center City
| phone = (215) 563-3737
| website = https://muttermuseum.org
| established = 1858
| founder = Dr. Thomas Dent Mütter
| collection_size = 37,000+ specimens
| annual_visitors = 160,000
| admission = Check website for current pricing
| hours = Daily 10am-5pm
}}

'''The Mütter Museum''' is a medical history museum at 19 S 22nd Street in [[Center City]], part of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia. Famous for its collection of anatomical specimens, medical oddities, and antique instruments, the museum attracts over 160,000 visitors annually with exhibits including Albert Einstein's brain tissue, the "Soap Lady," and the tallest skeleton in North America.

== History ==

The museum was founded on December 11, 1858, when Dr. Thomas Dent Mütter donated his personal collection of medical specimens and $30,000 (approximately $800,000 today) to The College of Physicians of Philadelphia. Dr. Mütter was a pioneering plastic surgeon who used his collection to teach students about anatomical variations and pathologies.

Originally intended exclusively for medical professionals and invited guests, the museum did not open to the general public until the mid-1970s. Since then, it has become one of Philadelphia's most popular and unusual attractions.

== Collection ==

The Mütter Museum holds over 37,000 specimens, with approximately 10% on display at any time.

=== Famous Specimens ===

* '''Albert Einstein's Brain''' — Slides of brain tissue from the physicist, acquired from the pathologist who performed Einstein's autopsy
* '''The Soap Lady''' — Body of a woman exhumed in Philadelphia in 1875, whose remains transformed into a soap-like substance called adipocere
* '''Chang and Eng Bunker''' — Death cast and connected livers of the original "Siamese Twins," whose autopsy was performed at the College of Physicians
* '''The American Giant''' — Skeleton of the tallest known person to have lived in North America (7'6")
* '''Harry Eastlack's Skeleton''' — The fused bones of a man who suffered from fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP), an extremely rare condition where soft tissue turns to bone

=== Notable Collections ===

* '''Chevalier Jackson Collection''' — 2,000 objects removed from human throats and airways, collected by the legendary laryngologist Chevalier Jackson, displayed in elegant wooden drawers
* '''Skull Collection''' — 139 human skulls collected in the 19th century, originally used for phrenological studies
* '''Marie Curie's Electrometer''' — Scientific instrument used by the pioneering physicist
* '''Dr. Benjamin Rush's Medicine Chest''' — Belonging to the "Father of American Psychiatry" and signer of the Declaration of Independence

=== Medical Instruments ===

The museum displays antique medical equipment illustrating the evolution of medicine, from early surgical tools to 19th-century prosthetics.

== Visiting ==

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Detail !! Information
|-
| '''Hours''' || Daily 10am-5pm
|-
| '''Admission''' || Ticketed; check website for current pricing
|-
| '''Address''' || 19 S 22nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103
|-
| '''Photography''' || Prohibited
|-
| '''Age Policy''' || Minors must be accompanied by an adult
|-
| '''Accessibility''' || Wheelchair accessible
|}

The museum recommends visitors be prepared for graphic anatomical displays. While educational and respectfully presented, the collection includes human remains and may not be suitable for all visitors.

== The College of Physicians ==

The Mütter Museum is part of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia, founded in 1787 as the oldest private medical society in the United States. The College continues its educational mission through the museum, a historical medical library, and public programs on health and medical history.

== Getting There ==

{{Location map
| address = 19 S 22nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103
}}

The Mütter Museum is located near [[Rittenhouse Square]]:

* '''Walking''' — At 22nd and Ludlow Streets, two blocks west of Rittenhouse Square
* '''SEPTA Subway''' — Walnut-Locust Station (Broad Street Line)
* '''SEPTA Bus''' — Routes 9, 12, 17, 21, 42
* '''Parking''' — Street parking and nearby garages

== In Popular Culture ==

The Mütter Museum has been featured in numerous documentaries, television shows, and travel programs as one of America's most unusual museums. It regularly appears on lists of "must-see" Philadelphia attractions and "weirdest museums in America."

== See Also ==

* [[Rittenhouse Square]]
* [[Medical History in Philadelphia]]
* [[Benjamin Rush]]
* [[Unusual Museums in Philadelphia]]

== References ==
<references />

== External Links ==

* [https://muttermuseum.org Official Website]
* [https://collegeofphysicians.org The College of Physicians of Philadelphia]
* [https://muttermuseum.org/exhibitions/ Current Exhibitions]

{{#seo:
|title=Mütter Museum - Medical History and Oddities Museum in Philadelphia
|description=The Mütter Museum in Philadelphia houses 37,000+ medical specimens including Einstein's brain, the Soap Lady, and the tallest skeleton in North America. Over 160,000 visitors annually.
|keywords=Mutter Museum, medical museum Philadelphia, Einstein brain, Soap Lady, medical oddities, anatomical specimens, weird museums Philadelphia
|type=Article
}}

[[Category:Museums]]
[[Category:Medical History]]
[[Category:Center City]]
[[Category:Attractions]]