Five Must-Visit Oddities Museums Around The World
42 photos
The Pitt Rivers Museum (Photograph by Joanna Ebenstein)
The Pitt Rivers Museum (Photograph by Joanna Ebenstein)
An item from the Pitt Rivers Museum (Photograph by Joanna Ebenstein)
At the Pitt Rivers Museum (Photograph by Joanna Ebenstein)
At the Pitt Rivers Museum (Photograph by Joanna Ebenstein)
At the Pitt Rivers Museum (Photograph by Joanna Ebenstein)
At the Pitt Rivers Museum (Photograph by Joanna Ebenstein)
The Pitt Rivers Museum (Photograph by Joanna Ebenstein)
The Musée Fragonard d'Alfot (Photograph by Joanna Ebenstein)
The Musée Fragonard d'Alfot (Photograph by Joanna Ebenstein)
The Musée Fragonard d'Alfot (Photograph by Joanna Ebenstein)
The Musée Fragonard d'Alfot (Photograph by Joanna Ebenstein)
The Musée Fragonard d'Alfot (Photograph by Joanna Ebenstein)
The Musée Fragonard d'Alfot (Photograph by Joanna Ebenstein)
"The Swing," a famous 18th century rococo painting by Honoré Fragonard's cousin Jean-Honoré Fragonard (at the Wallace Collection)
Specimen of a child's arm, from Frederik Ruysch (<a href="http://www.kunstkamera.ru/en/museum_exhibitions/2floor/1st_collections/2_XIII_08/">Kunstkamera</a>)
"Anatomische les van Dr. Frederik Ruysch," 1683; Jan van Neck (ca. 1634/'35 - 1714)
Skeleton of Siamese twins; preparation of Frederik Ruysch (<a href="http://www.kunstkamera.ru/en/museum_exhibitions/2floor/1st_collections/2_XIII_01/">Kunstkamera</a>)
Plate showing Frederik Ruysch fetal skeleton tableau, from Morbid Anatomy Museum copy of his 18th century book, <em>Thesaurus Anatomicus</em>
Human foetus on dyed injected vessels of the placenta; preparation of Frederick Ruysch (<a href="http://www.kunstkamera.ru/images/floor/2_XIII_05b.jpg">Kunstakamera</a>)
The Wellcome Collection (Photograph by Joanna Ebenstein)
The Wellcome Collection (Photograph by Joanna Ebenstein)
The Wellcome Collection (Photograph by Joanna Ebenstein)
The Wellcome Collection (Photograph by Joanna Ebenstein)
The Wellcome Collection (Photograph by Joanna Ebenstein)
The Wellcome Collection (Photograph by Joanna Ebenstein)
Set of 60 miniature heads used in phrenology, Manchester, 1831. The heads were made by William Bally who studied phrenology under Spurzheim from 1828 onwards. The heads may have been used to teach phrenology but were probably made as a general reference collection. A wide range of different heads are present; head number 54 is that of a scientific man, and head number 8 is recorded as the head of an ‘idiot.’ (<a href="http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/broughttolife">Science Museum</a>)
Ivory and horn model of an eye, Europe, 1601-1700. The model unscrews to show the different parts of the eye including the cornea, the pupil, the iris, the jelly-like vitreous humour that fills most of the eyeball and the optic nerve that transmits messages to the brain. (<a href="http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/broughttolife">Science Museum</a>)
Wooden snuff box, France 1801-1830. Snuffbox with three views of a phrenological skull. There is a key on the base of the box. For example number 6 equals the ability to see colour and number 24, good-naturedness. (<a href="http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/broughttolife">Science Museum</a>)
Wax Model of a Decomposing Body in a Walnut Coffin, Italy, 1774-1800, The Science Museum, London. (<a href="http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/broughttolife">Science Museum</a>)
At La Specola: Clemente Susini's Anatomical Venus, late 18th century. (Photograph by Joanna Ebenstein)
At La Specola: Clemente Susini's Anatomical Venus, late 18th century. (Photograph by Joanna Ebenstein)
At La Specola: Clemente Susini's Anatomical Venus, late 18th century. (Photograph by Joanna Ebenstein)
Detail of a piece at La Specola (Photograph by Joanna Ebenstein)
Detail of a face at La Specola (Photograph by Joanna Ebenstein)
Inside La Specola (Photograph by Joanna Ebenstein)
Inside La Specola (Photograph by Joanna Ebenstein)
Inside La Specola (Photograph by Joanna Ebenstein)
Anatomical head by Gaetano Giulio Zumbo (Photograph by Joanna Ebenstein)
Detail of one of Gaetano Giulio Zumbo's "Theatres of Death"