Science Museum
Exhibition Road
London
SW7 2DD
02079424000
Website: http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/about_us/about_the_museum/collections/human_remains.aspx
Additional web links: https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/human-remains
Parent Organisation:
Science Museum Group
Funded by:
DCMS
YLM Entry Submitted: Yes
Comments:
In answer to the below please refer to SMG’s Human Remains page on our website.
https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/human-remains
How many human remains are in its collection, and how many of those are of ancient British provenance, pre-Christian or in other way Pagan?:
The Science Museum cares for 4,351 human remains from many different countries and historical periods. They include skeletal material, mummies, artefacts incorporating remains and slides containing human tissues. The largest group of human remains is 2,816 sets of gallstones, some of which are now on display in Medicine: The Wellcome Galleries.
1,029 of the human remains in our care are part of Sir Henry Wellcome’s Museum Collection, which has been on loan to us from Wellcome since the late 1970s. We manage these remains in conjunction with Wellcome Collection (including its museum and library) and its corresponding Care of Human Remains Policy.
Total: 4351
How many of these human remains are well documented, with clear context of date and place of exhumation?:
Where there are ancestors in store, is there a history of use?:
Yes
Where there are ancestors in store, is there potential for use, in display, education or scientific analysis?
Yes
Does the museum have a disposal policy, and is it including HR with negligible potential in its discussions about disposal?:No
What sources of information about these human remains are in the public domain and where?:
Does the museum have ancestors (human remains) on display?:Yes
Does the museum hold any iconic ancestors, ie. complete skeletons with a well documented story, or those considered of national or local importance, and are these on display?:
Has the museum used or considered using replicas in displays? If not, why not and what would you find useful in moving to these? If you have, what response did these receive?:
Documents:
https://www.honour.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/formidable/human_remains_list_2007.pdf, https://www.honour.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/formidable/2/Honouring-the-Ancient-Dead-Questionnaire-2022.pdf
https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/human-remains
8 July, 2022
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