Anatomical Museum

As of 2007, 800 anatomical preparations and models can be found in a museum in the education building of the LUMC. The Anatomical Museum supports medical and biomedical education in Leiden. The museum was nominated for the “European Museum of the Year Award” in 2009.

Healthy and ill

On the ground floor, five display cases are set up around the theme “Healthy and ill”. Every display unit represents a specific phase of human life and contains a panel with slides of healthy tissue and racks filled with medical sections of physical abnormalities or defects. The preparations are organised according to Underwood’s disease classification (General Systematic Pathology). Touch screens help you to find information about the preparations and detailed photos of the abnormalities.

The Leiden Tradition

Part of the embryos, medical sections and skeletons have been used for educating medical doctors and specialists since the 17th century. These historical sections are displayed in the 300-year old Albinus case. Paintings by famous anatomists and panels with information on the history of the collection are on display as well.

Temporary exhibitions and skeleton display cabinet

On the first floor, you will find a display cabinet with temporary exhibitions for education purposes. Here you will also find a long display cabinet with unique syndromes that are very rare nowadays. A third display cabinet contains skeletons with extreme growth failures.

Admission to the collection

On display in the museum is only a small part of the total collection. For education or research purposes; the database with photos and information about certain sections can be consulted. On request it is possible for teachers to display one or several preparations or to put together a temporary exhibition on a specific topic. For more information; please contact the museum committee.

Visit the museum

The following groups can visit the museum by appointment:

teachers and students of the LUMC;
teachers and students of (para)medical study programs outside the LUMC;
secondary school teachers and students; Profile Nature and Health.

Booking an appointment in advance is required. You can make a reservation by sending an e-mail or letter to the LUMC museum committee. It is necessary to clarify your wishes and the relation of the visit to the study program when you make the appointment. Students cannot make a reservation themselves.

Practical information

Groups can visit the Anatomical Museum on working days between 9.00 am and 5.30 pm. The maximum group size is 25 people. Costs are associated with a visit. For a group of 15 students or less, we charge €80 as standard. The supervisor is not included in the calculation of the group size. When the group is larger than 15 people, we charge € 5.30 extra per person. At the appointed time, you and your students or pupils can report to the host in the foyer of Building 3. Eating, drinking and taking pictures is prohibited in the museum. There is an unattended cloakroom in the foyer of LUMC Building 3 and there are lockers for your coats and bags.

Open to the public

The public at large gets the chance to visit the Anatomical Museum only twice a year. The museum is open for visits during the national Museum Weekend (April) and Leiden’s Science Day (October). We refer to the news section on this website for the latest updates.

Contact

LUMC Museum Committee
Directorate for Education and Study Programs

V0-P, Postbus 9600, 2300 RC Leiden
E-mail: museumcommissie@lumc.nl