Feeling gloomy with Stephen Fry but uplifted by Hannah Rose Platt at The Hunterian Museum

Back in the day (as they say) I used to love popping into The Hunterian Museum at The Royal College of Surgeons in Lincoln's Inn Fields. I'd sometimes arrange to meet friends by Charles Byrne's very tall skeleton which formed a central focus to the exhibits that surrounded it. Here's how the main space looked back then, as shown in on this wikipedia page:

Image: Paul Dean (StoneColdCrazy), September 2007

In 2017 the museum closed for a refit and did not reopen until May 2023. I never like visiting places when they are full of visitors so I let the rush go and resolved to visit later that year. Wandering through the square one day in September, with an hour or so to spare before I met a friend in Covent Garden, I wandered in to have a look and see what had changed. 

They two ladies at the desk asked me if I had a ticket. No. Why would I need one – it's free.  It's timed entries, they said. Grunt. Covid-era rules still in place.

I lied and said I was only in London that day and I had made a special effort to get there. They suggested I wait for a slot. I hovered in the empty foyer for about ten minutes and watched about eight people dribble in. How ridiculous. I went over to the security fella at the entrance to the museum proper and said all I wanted to do was have a peek to see what had changed. Nope, sorry love, more than my job's worth.

Bonkers. It was clear there that there was barely anyone in there and those people who had registered for free tickets hadn't bothered showing up because it was such a nice day outside. I decided to make the best of that weather myself and instead went for a wander. 

I tried again another day in Spring 2024, hoping to just slip in when they weren't looking, but it wasn't possible. I'm a spur-of-the-moment follow-my-nose girl so it simply hasn't occurred to me to book a ticket in all this time. I mean, can't we just arrive and queue up as per John Soane's on the opposite side of the square?! Two years have whizzed by. 

On 16th April I booked a ticket for a concert within the Hunterian's library. Hannah Rose Platt performed songs from Fragile Creatures which is about women in history. It was an amazingly engaging performance and I will be reading more about those stories. The ticket included access to the museum before the gig.

Oh dear. Let's cut to the quick – I don't like it. I'm disappointed. 

On entering the first room there is a cabinet of all sorts and I completely missed an info panel because it's about A3 size and people must have been obscuring it. I only found it when I returned to the room later because I was convinced I had missed some vital information somewhere along the line. 

Like many things these days, the new modern look is grey and boxy, moody and gloomy. The narrow corridors are claustrophobic, like being in an underground maze. There are rows and rows of shelving interspersed a few side rooms that are easily missed. Some directional signage to these would be useful. 

Most of the displays look like a Damien Hirst installation*. 

Some headings here and there to explain the different sections or groupings would be of use. After all, most of us haven't a clue what we are looking at or why these things were of interest when they were collected. There's also scant info to explain what was learned from these specimens, who benefitted from the research going forward. 

A few interactive 'page-turning' displays don't make up for the lack of focal points now that Mr Byrne is no longer on show. I wasn't the only one who wandered into a side room, glanced around, pulled a puzzled face and walked out again. I did three laps convinced I had missed a turning or whole room or a display. Nope. I'd seen it all. 

But I did spot something that amused me. A group of four paintings includes one of Mr David Middleton (1705-1785) – I had to do a double-take because I thought it was Stephen Fry!

I might return to the museum with a friend who hasn't visited before to see what they think of it. Shall we book in advance or shall we try to just wander in when passing...?

*Update, Monday 27th April 2026: The above originally included a low-res photo of a range of fascinating human foetuses and another one of some rows of human skulls, further highlighting my comment that it was all a bit Damien Hirst. 

On the same day this post went live (Friday 24th) I received an email from the museum asking me to remove these images as it seems we are not allowed to take pics of human remains nor can we share them. I had not seen any ref of this when I was there or I would have written about how ridiculous this policy is, pandering to the easily offended (who would rarely visit an institution of this kind) rather than those of us with inquisitive minds. 

It's damage limitation. They are dumbing things down to appease a tiny minority. It's worth pointing out that kids these days can easily access scary movies and online porn yet they are being protected from scientific research.

The Old Operating Theatre – a delight

Last month, after years of walking past The Old Operating Theatre and thinking, 'I must go in there some day soon' I walked past and thought to myself, 'I must go in there some day soon' and then I stopped, turned round and said, 'no, go in there NOW!' 

And I am so glad I did. Finally. They suggest it's a 45-minute experience but I was in there well over twice that. There's lots to see and find out up there including some quite scary surgical implements intermingled with beautiful books and other acoutrements of the trade. 

The volunteers who assists there are full of fabulous facts and info – I really enjoyed the interaction with them which was probably why I was there so long. On the day I visited I was one of only four people up there and I sat in the theatre for ages simply contempleting the room and imagining the noise and mess of the past. The whole space, including the wooden room that houses the museum, complete with it's creaky floor and cabinets full of curiosties, is a delight will definitely return, either alone again or with any friend who also has never set foot inside as I am sure that they too will love it.

The museum is just a stone's throw from Borough Market, London Bridge, Guy's Hospital, and that tall spiky thing. Getting up to and inside is via this door at the foot of the church bell tower and then a climb up a one-way narrow spiral staircase, so be aware that this is not a wheelchair-friendly museum. Find out more here.

This has got me thinking about all the other places that I walk past and think 'I must go in there some day soon' which includes Dr Johnson's House. Really. Hard to believe, I know. I did try once but it was closing in ten minutes.  

Brains – The Mind as Matter

If you haven't been to the Wellcome Collection – why not??
It's free and there are always wonderfully interesting exhibitions to see there.
On at the moment, until 17th June, is Brains– The Mind as Matter which is about brains. D'uh!
The Wellcome's permanent exhibition is also well worth looking in on; it features all sorts of fascinating and freaky surgical instruments and medically-related artefacts from all over the world.
Find the museum on the Euston Road, almost opposite Euston Station.