Exhibitions
Grimms' Anatomy
Magic and Medicine: 1812-2012
The bodies of fairy tale characters are rarely ordinary. They may be injured through acts of violence, healed or harmed by medicinal potions, or altered by magical transformations. Though many fairy-tale bodies belong to the realm of the marvelous, some have real-world counterparts. In honor of the 200th anniversary of the publication of The Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm, this exhibit will present real-world examples of the sometimes gruesome or grotesque fairy tale bodies, along with instruments from and rare illustrated editions of these stories. On view in the Main Museum Gallery. Free with Museum Admission.
Hansel + Gretel (detail), 2012. Image courtesy of Patrick Awa
Bones Books & Bell Jars
Photographs of the Mütter Museum Collection
With a physician's training and a photographer's sensibility, acclaimed photographer, Andrea Baldeck, FCPP, explores The Mütter Museum and The Historical Medical Library Collections of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia, selecting and combining objects in still life compositions that speak of the art, science and history of medicine. By capturing the eye, stimulating the imagination and provoking questions, these arrangements are intended to engage the viewer in a visual dialogue about the nature of illness, suffering and the healing arts. For more information on the exhibition and book, please visit: http://bonesbooksbelljars.com/
March 2012 through December 2012
Thomson Hall Gallery
Free with Museum Admission
(Gallery may be closed for private or College events at scheduled times)
Harcover copies of BONES BOOKS & BELL JARS
Photographs of the Mütter Museum Collection
By Andrea Baldeck, published by The College of Physicians of Philadelphia, are available at the Mütter Museum Store.
September 2011 through the present
Cadwalader Gallery
Curated by guest curator Barbara London
Free with Museum Admission
In an exciting collaboration with Barbara London, Associate Curator, Department of Media and Performance Art at The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City, the Mütter Museum of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia debuts a new exhibition in the Cadwalader Gallery entitled "Through the Weeping Glass." The exhibition is in conjunction with the newest film by the internationally renowned Quay Brothers, Through the Weeping Glass: On Consolations of Life Everlasting (Limbos & Afterbreezes in the Mütter Museum) (2011), commissioned by The College of Physicians of Philadelphia and made possible by a grant from the Pew Center for Arts & Heritage through the Philadelphia Exhibitions Initiative. Through the Weeping Glass is now available in HD via iTunes stores around the globe. Download your copy today!
Curated by London, "Through the Weeping Glass" explores themes at the heart of the captivating Quay Brothers' film and showcases many of the medical devices, College Historical Library books, and historic images that appear in the film.
The exhibition employs vitrines from the 1900s as well as contemporary cases to display the artifacts, which highlight the remarkable doctors, patients, and artists whose stories fascinated the Quay Brothers. Along with artifacts, the exhibition features the Quays' film Through the Weeping Glass, shown in an intimate theaterette, along with film footage from Behind the Scenes with the Quay Brothers by producer Edward Waisnis.
Supported by The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage through the Philadelphia Exhibitions Initiatives.
Now you can view Through the Weeping Glass: On Consolations of Life Everlasting (Limbos & Afterbreezes in the Mütter Museum) during your visit to the Museum. Check the daily times here.
Civil War 150 in Greater Philadelphia
Over the next four years, The College of Physicians of Philadelphia and more than 70 partners in the Civil War History Consortium will commemorate the Philadelphia area's involvement in the war. Robert D. Hicks, PhD, Director of the Mütter Museum and Historical Medical Library, will be appearing in the uniform of a Union Army surgeon and will interpret how soldiers maintained their health, what happened when they were sick, and how they were cared for in hospitals. Find out when and where to find Dr. Hicks right here.