Biomedical Sciences

The Anatomical Museum celebrates RLS Day

Nov 15: The Anatomical Museum opens its doors to the public for just one day as part of the Robert Louis Stevenson Day celebrations.

View of inside the museum and the exhibits

This rare open evening consisted of a series of short talks entitled 'Pirates, Murderers and Anatomists' and also a chance to view the Museum's artists rooms.

The Anatomical Museum houses an impressive collection of historical and anatomical specimens, including life and death masks, anatomy teaching models and the skeleton of notorious murderer William Burke of ‘Burke and Hare’ fame. The museum provides a fascinating insight into how anatomy has progressed from the late 1700s to the present day.

 

Did you know:

  • The Museum opened at Teviot Place in 1884, the same year that Robert Louis Stevenson’s short story The Body Snatcher was published. 
  • 13th November was Stevenson’s birthday. But in June 1891, Stevenson drew up a mock legal document which gave away his birthday to Annie Ide, the daughter of the American land commissioner in Samoa. She was born on Christmas Day and therefore did not have a ‘proper’ celebration of her birthday, so RLS gave her his ‘unbirthday’ to celebrate on instead. 

 

Related links:

Night at the Anatomical Museum