Philadelphia’s Mütter Museum has been courting controversy as supporters and new management clash over differing views on its human remains collection, writes Rachel Monroe for The New Yorker.
Though clinically described as a museum of medical history, the Mütter is far from typical. Its dimly lit rooms feature specimens of physical anomalies, from stillborn fetuses in jars to preserved slices of faces.
Supporters view the collection as a celebration of human difference, but a wave of institutional reexaminations has shaken museums holding human remains. With growing awareness of how racism, colonialism, and eugenics shaped these displays, a movement now calls for exhibiting only the remains of individuals who gave explicit consent.
In 2023, new leadership at the Mütter shifted the focus toward well-being and public health, directing staff to avoid any perception of spectacle or disrespect.
The move alienated many longtime fans and led to further leadership changes. Current directors Erin McLeary and Sara Ray expressed both deep appreciation for the museum and a belief that it must evolve.
“The way this controversy has been depicted is that you either need to commit yourself to ethics or you need to commit yourself to being a place of morbid fascination,” said Ray. “We think there’s a secret third way, which is that you can actually do both of those things.”
Read more about how the Mütter Museum is navigating this controversy and community pushback in The New Yorker.
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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on PHILADELPHIA.Today in June 2025.
