From controversy to clarity: how a Philadelphia medical museum is rethinking the display of human remains

"Its dark interior is filled with artefacts from medical history. There is a cabinet of 139 human skulls collected by the Austrian anatomist Josef Hyrtl, looming and tiny skeletons from sufferers of rare diseases, foetuses suspended inside glass jars. With its deep red velvet drapes, the Mütter has a 19th-century air-fitting, since it was founded more than 160 years ago, after a bequest from the American surgeon Thomas Dent Mütter."

"For the past several years, the Mütter has been the focus of even fiercer feelings than usual. In January 2023, ProPublica published an investigation into museums that had failed to repatriate Indigenous remains as required by the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (Nagpra). The Mütter was one of the institutions named, reportedly holding the remains of at least 52 Native Americans."

"The day the investigation was published, Kate Quinn, the executive director of the Mütter, reportedly told staff to take down any online resources or social media posts that mentioned human remains. For the Mütter, that meant the lion's share of its digital content-including YouTube videos with millions of views. Quinn later said the content was coming under an ethical review. But to critics, the move seemed abrupt and opaque."

The Mütter Museum houses historical medical artifacts, including skulls, skeletons, and preserved fetuses, and retains a 19th-century atmosphere. In January 2023 ProPublica reported museums failing to repatriate Indigenous remains under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, identifying the Mütter as holding at least 52 Native American remains. Following the report, the executive director instructed removal of online resources mentioning human remains, affecting most digital content including popular YouTube videos. The removal prompted criticism and a petition of over 30,000 signatories accusing leadership of reactive and fear-based decisions. Museum leadership expressed interest in refocusing toward health and well-being.

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