Postmortem Project

A timeline overview of the various components of the Postmortem project can be found below. Event specifics will be updated regularly in the “Upcoming Events” section of this webpage. Dates and times are subject to change. 

• February 29, 2024 • 3–7 PM – Open House 

• April 25, 2024 • 3–7 PM – Open House 

• May 2024 • Exhibition Opening 

• June 27, 2024 • 3–7 PM – Open House 

• August 29, 2024 • 3–7 PM – Open House 

• November 14, 2024 • 3–7 PM – Open House 

Join us every other month for an engaging exploration of our latest work at the Mütter Museum. Have a hand in shaping the next exhibit we are creating, centering public health, illness, wellness, and discover rare and unique items from our collection that illuminate the incredible journey of medicine. The public will interact with facilitators during their visit and will be asked to share their thoughts on several topics as they move through the museum.  

Participate in interactive forums guided by knowledgeable facilitators during your visit. Your insights and perspectives are invaluable as we delve into these important topics together.  

Thursday, November 14 • 3–7 PM

Behind the Scenes with Staff: Pop-Up Conversations with the People behind Postmortem. 
3:30 p.m., 4:45 p.m., and 6:00 p.m. 
These NEW in-gallery discussions will bring visitors together for an in-depth dialogue about what they experience throughout the Postmortem Project exhibition — sharing impressions, questions, and concerns with Postmortem Project team members. These small group conversations will home in on the broader context of respect, ethics, human remains, future topics, the museum, and its future. These pop-ups are intentionally space limited so that participants have the chance to robustly contribute to the conversation. 
Sign up here.

If you cannot make our November events, there will be more opportunities to engage in the future including a Town Hall in Spring 2025.

This small group experience will offer a deep dive to focus on our audience and gather their views and feedback on our upcoming topics and exhibits. We are reaffirming our commitment to listening and funneling all feedback into prototyping and planning for a community- informed exhibit that amplifies collections and under-told histories to tell a fuller story. The exhibition opens in May, but other focus group discussions allow for future thinking which is planned to be shared our in the exhibition. These focus groups will home in on the broader context of respect, ethics, human remains, future topics, the museum, and its future. The goal of these focus groups will be targeted feedback from audiences with backgrounds including but not limited to healthcare, education, BIPOC communities, and individuals with disabilities. External professionals responsible for coordinating and executing the focus groups will be conducting outreach to potential focus group participants with these communities in mind.  

Stay tuned for more information on upcoming focus groups!

To indicate your interest in being included in potential focus groups as part of the audience engagement component of the Postmortem project, please fill out this form.  

A dedicated Postmortem: Mütter Museum exhibition is slated to open in May 2024. This will focus on more than 30 collection items that highlight the complexities surrounding human remains in museums. A diverse team of content experts will research the selected items, including provenance, social and cultural context, personal history and narratives, and other information to recontextualize items for public consideration. Audience engagement and feedback in the form of discussions, charrettes, and workshops will be incorporated into the exhibition.