Hunterian Museum

The Hunterian Museum is the oldest museum in Scotland.

It covers The Hunterian Museum, The Hunterian Art Gallery, The Mackintosh House, The Zoology Museum and The Anatomy Museum, all located in various buildings on the main campus of the University in the west end of Glasgow.

In 1799 the government purchased the collection of surgeon John Hunter which they presented to the Royal College of Surgeons. This formed the basis of the Hunterian Collection, which has since been supplemented by others including an Odontological Collection and the natural history collections of Richard Owen.

The collections today include scientific instruments used by James Watt, Joseph Lister and Lord Kelvin; outstanding Roman artefacts from the Antonine Wall; major natural and life sciences holdings; Hunter’s own extensive anatomical teaching collection; one of the world’s greatest numismatic collections; impressive ethnographic objects from Captain Cook’s Pacific voyages and a major art collection.

The museum displays thousands of anatomical specimens, including the Evelyn tables and the skeleton of the "Irish giant" Charles Byrne, and many surgical instruments.

Museum Education

The Hunterian has now discontinued its schools programme. We are reviewing our education strategy and information on the new offer will be published in due course.

Information for Teachers interested in visiting our display of Roman artefacts - Antonine Wall: Rome's final Frontier

• In the absence of staffed school visits, The Hunterian has provided a Teachers' Resource Pack which offers support in the delivery of your Roman topic, focusing on life at the time of the Antonine Wall. 
• We are very grateful to Grace Hepworth, Msc Museum Studies for compiling this pack. Grace completed this work-based project as part of her final assessment for the Hunterian Exhibition Placement 2012.