Following a comprehensive review and community engagement process, the Mütter Museum of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia has announced official policies in August 2025 that stress clear guidelines for the use, acceptance, and exhibition of human remains that will guide future donations and photography of the 6,500 remains in our collection.
With a commitment to contextualizing the history and provenance of human remains, the Museum will continue to exhibit specimens. These updated policies were drafted with the help of the College’s skilled Collections and Research staff, as well as outside experts in science and medicine bioethics serving on an Ad Hoc Committee on Human Remains, and reaffirm the institution’s commitment to the highest standards of stewardship for the remains in its care.
These same principles guide the restoration of the majority of videos to the Museum’s YouTube channel. Following the review process that commenced after all Museum videos were removed in 2023, nearly 80 percent of the videos are returning. Of those not returned, age or relevance were the principal factors in the decision. In some cases, for example, they referenced programs that have long since ended or cited information no longer relevant to existing Museum functions.
The Mütter is committed to respecting the individuals in the Museum collection and their stories as we trace the history of medicine, bodily diversity, and the tools and therapies developed to treat them.