Housed in the upper floor of the 19^thcentury purpose built Playfair Building is the Wohl Pathology Museum, home of one of the largest collections of pathological anatomy in the world.

With generous support from the Maurice Wohl Charitable Foundation in 2015, the Wohl Pathology Museum was redeveloped to enhance the public space and allow improved access for visitors.

Visitors to the Wohl Pathology Museum are able to learn about the origins of medical collections, starting with cabinets of curiosity in the 1500s, whilst learning about how specimens are prepared and preserved, through different methods of treatment. 

Through this new interpretation, visitors can also learn about the role of Women in Surgery and the Edinburgh Seven, as well as how warfare changed the landscape of military surgery, from Waterloo up to the Second World War.

The specimens have been redisplayed in the lower gallery with new shelving units that enhance the collection whilst respecting Playfair's original design.

Access to the Upper Wohl Pathology Museum is granted for the first time to the public this century, giving visitors the chance to view more of the collection than ever before. Sections devoted to cardiothoracic, maxillofacial and vascular surgery, amongst others, showcase the wonderful collection that has been collected at Surgeons' Hall Museums.


Human Tissues Act (Scotland) 2006

The specimens within Surgeons' Hall Museums are displayed acknowledging the debt to those whose suffering has advanced our knowledge of medicine, surgery and disease. The specimens within the Museums are governed by the Human Tissue (Scotland) Act 2006, which allows for the public display of human remains. By exhibiting human remains, we aim to help people learn more about science and history. Human remains can bring people into contact with the past and help encourage reflection.