Medical Morphology Museum

History

The collection, preservation and display of human cadaveric material is an important and essential add-on to the teaching of Anatomy.   Whilst the University of Stellenbosch Medical School was still on the main campus, between its inception in 1957 and relocation to Tygerberg in 1975, of the material on display in the museum today, was in preparation and used for curriculum based activities at that early stage already.   On relocation to the newly built Tygerberg Campus in 1975, the JF van E Kirsten Museum of Human Anatomy was created as an essential component of the facilities at the Faculty (until 2000 of Medicine, subsequently Health Sciences). 

Since 2004 the museum has become a work in progress by integrating material from defunct museums (Pathology, Dentistry, Zoology) and the creation of new focus areas (Physical Anthropology, Parasitology, Comparative Vertebrate and Dental Anatomy, Histology, Anatomical and Forensic Pathology, Embryology, Paediatric Genetics, Orthopaedics ) into a Museum for Medical Morphological Sciences. 

Although the museum still offers an extensive series of exhibits for the  professional development of our Faculty's Medical and Allied Health Science students, the museum is also open to the public to be inspired by its collections and exhibitions. At the core of the Museum's education efforts is a program for school groups visiting the museum. There are over 1300 specimens on display and new exhibits are regularly incorporated.