The award-winning Surgeons’ Hall Museums has announced it attracted a record-breaking 111,293 visitors last year.
The museums – among the UK’s oldest – are hosted in the iconic William Playfair building at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh’s campus on Nicholson St and boast Scotland’s largest pathology collection.
Renowned for its collections of anatomical specimens and artefacts, this remarkable milestone marks an exceptional journey of growth and transformation for the museum, which has gone from strength to strength since a major refurbishment in 2015.
In 2013, the museum welcomed 35,000 visitors which doubled to 60,000 the year after the refurbishment, funded by the National Lottery. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Surgeons’ Hall Museums has continued to further grow its visitor numbers, solidifying its place on the Capital’s list of world class museums available.
In 2021, the museum established new permanent galleries under the title, Body Voyager. This work considers what the future holds for surgery, extrapolating from existing robotics and technology that already is on the market.
The striking futuristic gallery is centred around the only Da Vinci robot in the world that the public can try out the authentic console that surgeons use today, testing their skills on a programmed art challenge.
Thomas Elliot, Head of Museum Learning and Interpretation, expressed pride in the museum’s accomplishments. He said: “We’re really proud of the work we’ve been doing to make the museum more engaging and accessible over the last eight years.
“The museum has traditionally been targeted to medical professionals, and that has been somewhat inaccessible or intimidating to the general public.
“Now we have school groups that love our interactive segments, and we curate our exhibitions to link the medical nature with what people care about.”
The success is attributed in part to a diverse and engaging temporary exhibition program, with notable highlights including the immensely popular ‘In Safe Hands: A Battle for Midwifery.’ This exhibition explores the evolution of the perception of childbirth, transforming it from a simple life event to something requiring medical oversight.
One of the most gratifying aspects of the museum’s success is the increasing number of returning visitors who often bring friends and family.
Thomas continued: “The whole museum team extends its gratitude to all patrons, supporters, and visitors who have contributed to this extraordinary success.
“We are always looking forward to continuing its mission of providing an enriching and accessible experience that cements our place as an important part of the city’s cultural and educational make up.”