The Hunterian Museum Anatomy and Science London

With a focus on object-led and curriculum-linked sessions, the Museum welcomes learners from secondary (minimum age 14) through to further and higher education.

The Hunterian Museum is named after the 18th century surgeon and anatomist, John Hunter (1728-1793). It includes the display of over 2,000 anatomical preparations from Hunter’s original collection, alongside instruments, equipment, models, paintings and archive material, which trace the history of surgery from ancient times to the latest robot-assisted operations. The Museum includes England’s largest public display of human anatomy.

The Hunterian Museum has launched an exciting new school programme. Bookings are now open for workshops from 3 February 2026.

Health and Medicine in Britain workshop

This workshop is for GCSE students studying ‘Health and the People’ from the AQA and ‘Medicine in Britain’ Edexcel curricula. It explores the art of surgery using real objects, anatomical models, facsimiles of manuscripts, rare books and illustrations to inspire curiosity through observation and encourage discussions using evidence-based resources. This session may include:

– History and Anatomy of medicine from medieval to modern times

– Development in Surgery – infection control

– History of Surgery through object handling

This Surgical Skills Taster workshop

This workshop is perfect for anyone curious about the medical field or looking to enhance their surgical knowledge. They will take part in a practical workshop where surgeons will teach gloving and gowning up, surgical knot-tying and basic suturing skills. The session will give the students an opportunity to speak to surgeons and find out more about medicine and surgery as a career. This workshop is designed for GCSE, A-level, T-level and BTEC students who wish to get practical experience and learn more about surgical skills.

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein workshop

This visit will start with a led Museum tour drawing links between the collection’s display and Mary Shelley Frankenstein. It is followed by a session in the Library and Archives, working with historical written sources including Galvani Notebooks, the Newgate Calendar and contemporary transplant sources on hand transplantation. This workshop supports GCSE and A-level English Literature course. It may also interest Theatre and Stage Production students.

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Located in the Royal College of Surgeons of England in central London, the Hunterian Museum includes the display of surgical instruments, equipment, models, paintings and interactive digital displays, which trace the history of surgery from ancient times to the latest robot-assisted operations.

The school workshops will give students a unique experience to talk with a retired or consultant surgeon to learn about health, medicine and surgery. Sessions include object handling from the Museum’s collection and practical skills to inspire students to learn more about careers in surgery.

It is recommended the students are aged 14 and over for the workshops and the accompanying visit to the museum.

Health and Medicine in Britain Workshop

Learning outcomes

• Understand the evolution of medical practices from the Medieval period to modern times.
• Engage with historical medical objects and techniques to gain a deeper appreciation for the history of medicine.
• Explore the contributions of key figures and innovations in medical history.
• Learn about the importance of technology in modern medicine.
• Learn about surgery, patients’ experience and ethics.

This workshop is for GCSE students studying ‘Health and the People’ from the AQA and ‘Medicine in Britain’ Edexcel curricula.

Curriculum links 

AQA

• Medieval Medicine: Approaches including natural, supernatural, ideas of Hippocratic and Galenic methods and treatments; the medieval doctor; training, beliefs about cause of illness.

• The impact of the Renaissance on Britain: Challenge to medical authority in anatomy, physiology and surgery; the work of Vesalius, Pare, William Harvey; opposition to change

• Dealing with Disease: Traditional and new methods of treatments; quackery; methods of treating disease; plague; the growth of hospitals; changes to the training and status of surgeons and physicians; the work of John Hunter

• Prevention of disease: inoculation; Edward Jenner, vaccination and opposition to change.

• A revolution in surgery: Anaesthetics, including Simpson and chloroform; antiseptics, including Lister and carbolic acid; surgical procedures; aseptic surgery

• The development of Germ Theory and its impact on the treatment of disease in Britain: The importance of Pasteur, Robert Koch, and microbe hunting. Pasteur and vaccination; Paul Ehrlich and magic bullets; everyday medical treatments and remedies
• The impact of war and technology on surgery: Plastic surgery; blood transfusions; X-rays; transplant surgery; modern surgical methods, including lasers, radiation therapy and keyhole surgery

Edexcel

• Ideas about the cause of disease and illness – Rational explanations: The Theory of the Four Humours and the miasma theory; the continuing influence in England of Hippocrates and Galen

• Approaches to prevention and treatment – the extent of change in care and treatment: Improvements in medical training and the influence in England of the work of Vesalius

• Case studies – Key individual: William Harvey and the discovery of the circulation of the blood

• Ideas about the cause of disease and illness – Continuity and change in explanations of the causes of disease and illness: The influence in Britain of Pasteur’s germ Theory and Koch’s work on microbes

• Approaches to prevention and treatment – the extent of change in care and treatment: Improvements in hospital care and the influence of Nightingale. The impact of anaesthetics and antiseptics on surgery

• The significance of the Western Front for experiments in surgery and medicine: new technologies in the treatment of wounds and infection, the Thomas splint, the use of mobile X-ray units, the creation of a blood bank for the Battle of Cambrai
• Approaches to prevention and treatment – the extent of change in care and treatment: The impact of the NHS and science and technology: improved access to care; advances in medicines, including magic bullets and antibiotics; high-tech medical and surgical treatment in hospitals

Mary Shelley Frankenstein Workshop

Suitable for GCSE and A-Level English Literature and Performing Arts, Theatre and Stage Production students.

Curriculum links 

Edexcel and AQA GCSE:

Literal and inferential Comprehension
2.1 understand a word, phrase, sentence or whole text in context; explore aspects of plot, characterisation, events and settings; distinguish between what is stated explicitly and what is implied; explain motivation, sequence of events, and the relationship between actions or events

Critical reading
2.2 identify the theme and distinguish between themes; support a point of view by referring to evidence in the text; recognise the possibility of and evaluate different responses to a text, use understanding of writer’s social, historical and cultural contexts to inform evaluation; make an informed personal response that derives from analysis and evaluation of the text

Assessment Objectives:

• AO3: Show understanding of the relationships between texts and the contexts in which they were written.

There are different kinds, or categories, of context which affect authors’ work and the reader’s response to it. Teaching should include:

• the author’s own life and individual situation, including the place and time of writing, only where these relate to the text

• the historical setting, time and location of the text

• social and cultural contexts (e.g., attitudes in society; expectations of different cultural groups)

• the literary context of the text, for example, literary movements or genres

• the way in which texts are received and engaged with by different audiences, at different times (for example, how a text may be read differently in the twenty-first century from when it was written).

Edexcel A-Level
Learning outcomes – students are required to:

• show knowledge and understanding of the contexts in which texts have been produced and received and understanding of how these contexts influence meaning

• identify and explore how attitudes and values are expressed in texts

• communicate fluently, accurately and effectively their knowledge, understanding and evaluation of texts

AQA A-Level
Texts across time:  students write a comparative critical study of two texts on a theme of their choice.

Possible themes include, but are not limited to:

• crime and punishment

• the Gothic

• representations of race and ethnicity

• representations of women

• representations of men

• representations of social class and culture

Surgical Skills Taster Workshop

This workshop is designed for GCSE, A-level, T-level and BTEC students who wish to get practical experience and learn more about surgical skills.

Objective: To introduce students to basic surgical skills and provide an overview of careers in surgery and the wider surgical team

The session will give the students an opportunity to speak to surgeons and find out more about medicine and surgery as a career.

Health and Medicine in Britain Workshop

This workshop has a maximum capacity of 30. The ratio of adults to pupils depends on students’ age:

• Age 14-16: 1 adult to 10 pupils

The minimum group size is 9 people, including 1 adult.

Surgical Skills Taster Workshop

This workshop has a maximum capacity of 20 students. The ratio of adults to pupils depends on students’ age:

• Age 14-16: 1 adult to 10 pupils
• Age 16-18: 1 adult to 15 pupils

The minimum group size is 6 people, including adults.

Mary Shelley Frankenstein Workshop

This workshop has a maximum capacity of 20. The minimum group size is 6 people, including adults.

The ratio of adults to pupils depends on students’ age:

• Age 14-16: 1 adult to 10 pupils
• Age 16-18: 1 adult to 15 pupils

Pre-visit preparation video

Students should be given information in advance of their visit about John Hunter and the Hunterian Museum – show a short intro video https://youtu.be/jcjkXnEIVFI

to find out more about the Museum displays and the collection.

This short introduction video covers the Museum galleries and talks about the stories and topics covered in the displays.

Students should be made aware in advance of their visit that the Museum contains displays of human remains and of the need to be especially respectful in the Museum space.

History of Medicine workshop includes a Hunterian Museum trail in the museum The trail takes the students on a journey through the history of surgery, from early anatomical drawings to the latest advancements in surgical technology. It highlights the innovation in art and science and the patient experiences that have shaped surgical practice from ancient times to the present day. Students will investigate the work and context of significant individuals such as John Hunter, Edward Jenner, Joseph Lister and Harold Gillies as well as the history and development of surgery up to the present day.

Additional resources for self-led visits

History of Medicine

Hunterian Museum | History of Medicine

Biology

Hunterian Museum | Biology

English Literature

Hunterian Museum | English Literature

Preparation for their visit may include:

Hunterian Museum | Transforming Lives

These interviews recount personal experiences of surgery, from both the patients’ and the surgeons’ perspectives. They tell of life saving and life enhancing surgery, and the forging of unique personal and professional bonds.

Preparation material before the Surgical Skills Taster workshop may include:

Hunterian Museum | The Operation

Students will be asked to leave their mobile phones in their bags upon arrival.

Teachers may take photographs strictly for their own use but are not permitted to post any images of the Hunterian Museum collections on social media.

All risk assessments are available on the website.

https://hunterianmuseum.org/learning/school-visits

Ms Anouk Sallansonnet

Senior Museums Learning Coordinator

hunterian.learning@rcseng.ac.uk

Health and Medicine in Britain Workshop is £220 per group (up to 30 students and 4 staff).

Surgical Skills Taster Workshop is £250 per group (up to 20 students and 2 staff).

Mary Shelley Frankenstein Workshop is £200 for groups up to 15 students. £250 for groups of up to 20 students.

We have members of staff who are trained in providing first aid. Please inform a member of staff either inside the Museum, at the Shop at the exit, or our Reception desk immediately if anyone in your group requires assistance due to illness or injury.

Toilets and changing facilities

Toilets are on the ground floor, to the left as you enter from Lincoln’s Inn Fields.

There is an accessible toilet and separate baby changing facilities.

Eating

There is no designated eating space for learning groups visiting the Museum. The College is located on Lincoln’s Inn Field where in fair weather students could eat packed lunches in the garden.

There is a café on-site and group bookings for paid in advance lunches can be arranged by visiting the café’s website.

Shop

There is a small shop at the exit to the Museum where you can find a range of Hunterian Museum postcards, fridge magnets, pens, pencils and other stationery as well as books and other gifts. Please note, it is card only.

There is a ramp at the front entrance and a platform lift at the rear entrance of the building to take visitors to ground floor level. The museum, shop and accessible/standard toilets are all on one level. Find out more information about accessibility on the Museum webpage.

Wheelchair users

Royal College of Surgeons of England is a wheelchair-accessible building. A wheelchair can be made available for your visit if booked in advance. Please email reception@rcseng.ac.uk to reserve.

Hunterian Museum is open Tuesday to Saturday: 10am–5pm
(recommended last entry 4 pm)

Sunday: Closed

Monday: Hunterian Museum is closed (Surgical Skills Taster workshop only)

I wanted to say a huge thank you to all those involved in the surgical skills workshop. The interaction with the students was magnificent, engaging with them and supporting / encouraging them to achieve beyond what they thought they were capable of. A week later students are still talking about the workshop being the best part of the day and I’ve never heard students be so enthusiastic about a trip when telling others about it.

Surgical skills taster workshop, UTC Derby Pride Park, Year 12 Health students

It was a fantastic way for students to get practical experience, beyond what we cover in our A level biology classes. It provided them with insight into the field of surgery and clinical skills. It also gave them very memorable experiences that link closely to their A level content (eg. asceptic techniques and the immune system and blood vessels). All of the feedback from the students was that they loved it.

Surgical skills Taster woskhop, Grey Coat Hospital School, Year 12

There was a sense that the pupils were experiencing something unique when they were invited to enter the conference room with the exhibition. The care taken over choosing the artifacts and arranging for a surgeon to answer questions was really special.

Health and Medicine in Britain workshop, City Of London School, Year 10

The students really enjoyed the museum and the workshop sessions. They found the talk with the surgeon particularly memorable.

Health and Medicine in Britain workshop, Chelsea Academy, Year 10

It was all highly effective and enjoyable – viewing the museum specimens themselves and the workshop!

Health and Medicine in Britain workshop, Stratford School Academy, Year 10

The library was really useful but the museum is hard to beat. The knowledge of Kirsty our tour guide was excellent.

Mary Shelley Frankenstein workshop, The BRIT School, Year 12

The Hunterian Museum contains human remains, including foetuses. Viewing human remains can evoke powerful emotions which some visitors can understandably find difficult. Visitors should consider whether visiting the Hunterian is right for them.

More information can be found on Hunterian Museum | Human Remains