Collections of Human Remains in the Medical Museum: Problematic Pasts, Challenging Futures

“The medical museum is dead. Long live the medical museum.”
 
This provocative phrase, coined by scholars Ken Arnold and Simon Chaplin in 2013, encapsulates the multifaceted debates surrounding medical museums and the ethical implications of collecting, safeguarding, and displaying human remains. On the one hand, it acknowledges the necessity of moving beyond the traditional medical museum, which often collected specimens without consent and contributed to problematic racial and eugenic narratives. On the other, it emphasizes the transformative potential of these institutions in contemporary contexts, particularly in the realms of decolonization, decentralization, and democratization.
 
The reimagined or "post-medical museum," as described by Arnold and Chaplin, faces significant challenges. Just as there is much to be done, there is also much to be undone. In this light, the ethical considerations of displaying human remains demand urgent and thoughtful discussion. Is it appropriate to exhibit what was once a person in the same way one would display an object? Do the scientific, educational, or aesthetic benefits justify the sometimes controversial origins of these collections? What are the potential futures for these collections, and how should they serve medical professionals and students, scholars, educators, and the public?
 
The Department of Social Studies of Medicine seeks to address these and other pivotal questions through an interdisciplinary gathering comprising scholars, curators, and practitioners. In the form of a roundtable, this event aims to facilitate a discussion that critically examines the ethical implications of collecting and displaying human remains in museums while strategizing concrete actions to address these issues.