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Take a Virtual Tour of the Mütter Museum and Its Many Anatomically Peculiar Exhibits

in Biology , History , Museums , Science | May 11th, 2020 1 Comment

A few months before Philaelphia’s  Müt­ter Muse­um , exer­cis­ing now famil­iar COVID-19 pre­cau­tions, closed its doors to the pub­lic, it co-spon­sored  a parade  to hon­or the vic­tims to the pre­vi­ous century’s Span­ish Flu pan­dem­ic, as well as “those who keep us safe today.”

The event was part of a tem­po­rary exhi­bi­tion,  Spit Spreads Death: The Influen­za Pan­dem­ic of 1918–19 in Philadel­phia .

Anoth­er tem­po­rary exhi­bi­tion,  Going Viral: Infec­tion Through the Ages , opened in Novem­ber, and now seems even stronger proof that the muse­um, whose 19th-cen­tu­ry dis­play cab­i­nets are housed in the his­toric  Col­lege of Physi­cians , is as con­cerned with the future as it is with the past.

For now, all tours must be under­tak­en vir­tu­al­ly.

Above, cura­tor  Anna Dhody , a phys­i­cal and foren­sic anthro­pol­o­gist and Direc­tor of the Müt­ter Research Insti­tute, gives a brief intro­duc­tion to some of the best known arti­facts in the per­ma­nent col­lec­tion.

The muse­um’s many antique skulls and med­ical odd­i­ties may invite com­par­isons to a ghoul­ish sideshow attrac­tion, an impres­sion Dhody cor­rects with her warm, mat­ter-of-fact deliv­ery and respect­ful acknowl­edg­ment of the humans whose sto­ries have been pre­served along with their remains:

Mary Ash­ber­ry, an achon­droplas­tic dwarf, died from com­pli­ca­tions of a Cesare­an sec­tion, as doc­tors who had yet to learn the impor­tance of ster­il­iz­ing instru­ments and wash­ing hands, attempt­ed to help her deliv­er a baby who proved too big for her pelvis. (The baby’s head was crushed as well. Its skull is dis­played next to its mother’s skele­ton.)

Madame Dimanche is rep­re­sent­ed by a wax mod­el of her face, instant­ly rec­og­niz­able due to the  10-inch cuta­neous horn that began grow­ing from her fore­head  when she was in her 70s. (It was even­tu­al­ly removed in an ear­ly exam­ple of suc­cess­ful plas­tic surgery.)

Albert Ein­stein and the con­joined twins  Chang and Eng Bunker  are among the house­hold names grac­ing the museum’s col­lec­tion.

One of the most recent addi­tions is the skele­ton of artist and dis­abil­i­ty aware­ness advo­cate  Car­ol Orze l, who edu­cat­ed the pub­lic and incom­ing Uni­ver­si­ty of Penn­syl­va­nia med­ical stu­dents about  fibrodys­pla­sia ossi­f­i­cans pro­gres­si­va (FOP),  a rare dis­or­der that turned her mus­cle and con­nec­tive tis­sue to bone. She told her physi­cian, Fred­er­ick Kaplan, below, that she want­ed her skele­ton to go to the Müt­ter, to join that of fel­low FOP suf­fer­er, Har­ry East­lack… pro­vid­ed some of her prized cos­tume jew­el­ry could be dis­played along­side. It is.

Get bet­ter acquaint­ed with the Müt­ter Museum’s col­lec­tion through this  playlist .

The exhib­it Spit Spreads Death is cur­rent­ly slat­ed to stay up through 2024. While wait­ing to vis­it in per­son, you can watch an  ani­ma­tion of the Span­ish flu’s spread , and explore  an inter­ac­tive map  show­ing the demo­graph­ics of the infec­tion.

h/t Tanya Elder

Relat­ed Con­tent:

Take a Vir­tu­al Tour of 30 World-Class Muse­ums & Safe­ly Vis­it 2 Mil­lion Works of Fine Art

Take a Long Vir­tu­al Tour of the Lou­vre in Three High-Def­i­n­i­tion Videos

Take a Vir­tu­al Tour of The Uffizi Gallery in Flo­rence, the World-Famous Col­lec­tion of Renais­sance Art

Ayun Hal­l­i­day  is an author, illus­tra­tor, the­ater mak­er and Chief Pri­ma­tol­o­gist of  the East Vil­lage Inky  zine.  Here lat­est project is  a series of free down­load­able posters , encour­ag­ing cit­i­zens to wear masks in pub­lic and wear them prop­er­ly. Fol­low her  @AyunHalliday .

by Ayun Halliday | Permalink | Comments (1) |

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Documenting #COVIDPHL at The College of Physicians of Philadelphia

This site documents the College’s reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic, beginning with its closure effective end of day Thursday, March 12, 2020.

Explore virtual walkthroughs of Mütter Museum exhibits

Get up close and personal with the Mütter Museum’s collections on Memento Mütter

Take your very own private virtual tour with our Curator, Anna Dhody

  Take a virtual tour of Spit Spreads Death: The Influenza Pandemic of 1918-19 in Philadelphia

Take a virtual tour of the past Mütter Museum exhibit, Broken Bodies, Suffering Spirits

Take a virtual tour of the past Mütter Museum exhibit, Imperfecta

Take a virtual tour of the photography exhibit, Unseen

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Mütter Museum

Medical wonders in an architectural gem...

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Location & Contact:

• 19 S. 22nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103
• (215) 560-8564
• Visit Website

Sometime before his death in 1859, Philadelphia physician Thomas Mütter donated $30,000 and his 1,700-item personal museum of bones, plaster casts, medical illustrations and other pathological artifacts to the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, which was used to create the first incarnation of the museum in 1863.

The College has continued to add to the collection ever since, now boasting more than 20,000 items of interest in the medical field.

The Museum displays tens of thousands of provocative items.

The Mütter Museum serves as a riveting storehouse for the anatomically peculiar. The Museum’s display of tens of thousands of provocative items gives an eerie, beneath-the-surface perspective of what physicians study on a daily basis.

Inside the museum, a wide smattering of abnormal body parts remain preserved in fluid.

Visitors encounter skeletal formations — like that of a 7’6” man — that don’t seem quite physically possible. Tastefully displayed diseased and enlarged organs reside within glass-encased oak frames.

Visitors are intrigued by The Mütter Museum's collection of all things anatomically peculiar.   — Photo by J. Fusco for Visit Philadelphia

Medical oddities of all kinds captivate visitors, but highlights include Marie Curie’s electrometer, Dr. Benjamin Rush’s medicine chest, slides of cells from Albert Einstein’s brain, and, most spectacularly, the death cast of Chang and Eng, the original “Siamese Twins,” whose autopsy was performed in the museum.

Be sure to check out the infamous “Soap Lady,” whose body was exhumed in Philadelphia in 1875, and a special 139-piece collection of human skulls.

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Virtually Explore The Mütter Museum, Repository of Medical/Anatomical Anomalies

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One of the most fascinating and macabre repositories of medical and anatomical anomalies is The Mütter Museum of the College of Physicians of Philidelphia. According to their official website , “The Mütter Museum helps the public appreciate the mysteries and beauty of the human body while understanding the history of diagnosis and treatment of disease”.

While it may be months until it reopens to the public, you can now join Curator Anna Dhody on a virtual tour of the Mütter Museum from the safety of your home by pressing “Play” at the top of the article.

Tour highlights: 0:05 Introduction and History 1:40 Hyrtl Skull Collection 4:04 Our Finest Clothing: A Layered History of Our Skin 5:15 Dermatological Wax Models 6:51 The Soap Lady 10:00 Giant Megacolon 12:10 Cast and Livers of Chang and Eng Bunker 15:05 Mütter American Giant 17:12 Achondroplastic Dwarf 18:45 Harry Eastlack and Carol Orzel 21:36 Albert Einstein’s Brain 24:06 Conclusion 24:33 Blooper!

You can also examine many of the museum’s most chilling artifacts in virtual 360°. Check out conjoined twins, a coal miner’s lung, a human horn, the brain of a killer, a 74-pound ovarian cyst, and many more bizarre artifacts of human anatomy, HERE .

What do you think of the virtual tour and specimens from The Mütter Museum? Let us know in the comments below or on  Facebook ,  Twitter , or  Instagram ! You can also carry on the convo with me personally on Twitter  @josh_millican .

Categorized: News Real Dread Videos

An Informative Virtual Tour of Historic Medical Specimens at the Mütter Museum in Philadelphia

• August 3, 2022

Curator Anna N. Dhody takes viewers on a wonderfully informative tour of the historic Mütter Museum in Philadelphia , which features a unique collection of medical specimens and anatomical models. The tour includes the Hyrtl Skull Collection , The Soap Lady , The Giant Megacolon , the remains of FOP (Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva) patients Harry Eastlack and Carol Orzel , a cast of liver-conjoined twins Cheng and Eng Bunker , and slides of Albert Einstein’s Brain , just to name a few.

America’s finest museum of medical history, the Mütter Museum displays its beautifully preserved collections of anatomical specimens, models, and medical instruments in a nineteenth-century “cabinet museum” setting.  The goal of the Museum is to help visitors understand the mysteries and beauty of the human body and appreciate the history of diagnosis and treatment of disease.

The museum, which was founded by Dr. Thomas Dent Mütter  in 1858 to provide for medical education and research, is maintained and housed by The College of Physicians of Philadelphia , which is the birthplace of modern medicine in the United States.

The College of Physicians of Philadelphia, founded in 1787, is one of the oldest professional medical organizations in the country. Twenty-four physicians of 18th-century Philadelphia gathered “ to advance the science of medicine and to thereby lessen human misery .” …This historic spirit continues in our current mission:  advancing the cause of health while upholding the ideals and heritage of medicine .

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mu?tter Museum (@muttermuseum)

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Scott Beale (@scottbeale)

In 2010, artist and Laughing Squid friend Noah Scalin created a giant skull using slices of brain matter encased in acrylic at the Mütter Museum.

 I made a special trip to visit my friends at The College of Physicians of Philadelphia’s Mütter Museum. Anna, the curator, asked if I could make a new skull for an upcoming project of theirs and of course I said yes, and then suggested that I make it in the museum itself.

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Lori is a Laughing Squid Contributing Editor based in New York City who has been writing blog posts for over a decade. She also enjoys making jewelry , playing guitar , taking photos and mixing craft cocktails .

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The Mütter Museum

We are the home of The Mütter Museum

The museum was founded in 1863 by College Fellow Dr. Thomas Dent Mütter. America’s finest museum of medical history, the Mütter Museum displays its beautifully preserved collections of anatomical specimens, models, and medical instruments in a 19th-century “cabinet museum” setting. The museum helps the public understand the mysteries and beauty of the human body and to appreciate the history of diagnosis and treatment of disease.  Today, the Museum enjoys a steadily rising reputation with annual attendance exceeding 130,000 visitors. Enjoying international popularity, the Museum has been featured on countless TV programs and specials and is the subject of two best-selling books.

Please note, as of May 9th, the collection will be closed to research and requests for new images. Continue to check our website for updates. 

Visit the Mütter Museum

Disturbingly informative.

The Mütter Research Institute

Looking to the past to improve our future. 

Highlights of the collection: 

• The skeletons of 
• Dr. Joseph Hyrtl’s human 
• Plaster cast and conjoined liver of “Siamese twins” 
• Specimen from John Wilkes Booth’s vertebra
• Jaw tumor of President Grover Cleveland
• The Chevalier Jackson, MD collection of 
• Rotating exhibits of photographic art and illustrations
• Tallest skeleton on display in North America
• Slides of Albert Einstein’s brain

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Become a member to enjoy free admission and exclusive benefits year-round..

A Few Days in the Cossack Capital of Rostov-on-Don in Russia

Before 2018, I would have never thought about visiting Rostov-on-Don, as its name resonated too much with the problems of Donbass and Lugansk of Ukraine. But since I had a World Cup Ticket for the Uruguay-Saudi Arabia Game this year, I was kind of obligated to give it a try. And what a surprise! Rostov-on-Don is a Big and Lively city that definitely deserves its share of tourism!

In This Article...

• 1 My experience in Rostov-on-Don
• 2 Best 2 Days Itinerary for Rostov-on-Don
• 3 Top 10 Things to do in Rostov-on-Don
• 4 Top Rated and Recommended Cafes in Rostov-on-Don
• 5 Top Rated and Recommended Restaurants in Rostov-on-Don
• 6 Pin to Pinterest
• 7 Rostov-on-Don In Pictures
• 8 Support Ian with a TIP or Donation

My experience in Rostov-on-Don

Rostov-on-Don is known to be the capital of the Cossacks, these ancient warriors who have defended the region over centuries. Even some special police units today have uniforms of Cossacks warriors which you could spot on your visit. I had the chance to be here during the 2018 FIFA World Cup, so the city was definitely pampered up to please the touristic eye. I was told by locals that the transformation took place over the past 3 years, with beautification projects all over the city for the ultimate event: its 4 games at the FIFA World Cup. And I was pleasantly surprised! They did a great job to turn a normal city into an important host city for the world’s greatest tournament.

The city was also full of people from surrounding villages, curious to come and see what this whole world cup atmosphere was all about. And it was a great scene to attend! Friendly and curious locals taking pictures with Mexican fans with big “sombreros”! that was their favorite activity on one giving day I was there. Others catching up with the massive and colorful Uruguayan fans club that came to watch the game!

I am not sure how Rostov would be for a tourist visiting in a boring winter month without the world cup, probably the experience won’t be the same But nevertheless, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Rostov grow as a travelers stop on their Russian trip, as it is strategically located between the southern Caucasus areas like Sochi, Moscow to the north, with Crimea and Ukraine to the West.

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Best 2 Days Itinerary for Rostov-on-Don

Start your day by strolling around Bolshaya Sadovaya Street, the main pedestrian street and where most shops and cafes are located. Stop at Pamyatnik Vodoprovodu fountain and it’s nice parks the Gorky Park. Make sure to stop at several parks around the center as they are plentiful in Rostov and one of its highlights. In the afternoon, try the Rostov Regional Museum, which has a collection of artifacts of Jewelry and Weaponry, as well as exhibitions about pre-historic past of the region. There is also an interesting Cossack exhibit. Next, Visit the Underground Tile Work depicting scenes of Soviet life, which can be found under the crossings of the main streets. Try the crossings on Bolshaya Sadovaya Street in particular.

On the following day,  walk around the Obelisk at Teatralnaya square at the Teatralnaya ploshad. Continue the tour towards the river at the Don River Lookout, Beregovaya ulitsa. From there, get on a river cruise to have a nice few of the surrounding areas, as well as the stadium that hosted a few matches the 2018 Fifa World Cup in Rostov on the other side. In the evening, you can try some karaoke bars around the center as they get lively around the weekend.

At the Rostov Stadium before Uruguay-Saudi Match

Top 10 Things to do in Rostov-on-Don

• Walk by the riverside
• Pushkin Street
• Art in street underpass
• Ferris Wheel
• Pushkin Monument
• City Gardens
• Bolshaya Sadovaya Street
• Monument Obelisk of Liberators
• Teatralnaya Square

Top Rated and Recommended Cafes in Rostov-on-Don

• Starbucks (on Bolshaya Sadavaya st – beautiful interior, comfortable to work remotely)
• Good Morning Coffee
• Dyra v Strene
• Caffetteria

Top Rated and Recommended Restaurants in Rostov-on-Don

• Drago Steakhouse
• Camorra Pizza e Birra
• Restaurant Matador Grill

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Enjoyed this guide? Help others find it too! Share the following Pinterest pin to your Pinterest account, by simply clicking on the top left corner. And Remember: Sharing is Caring 😉

Rostov-on-Don In Pictures

View From the Bridge

Soviet style suburbs

Rostov Stadium

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10 most BEAUTIFUL buildings & sites in Rostov-on-Don (PHOTOS)

1. Rostov City Hall

This building used to host the City Duma House before it became home to the Mayor’s office. This remarkable building was a project of Alexander Pomerantsev, a famous Russian architect who designed the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in the Bulgarian capital of Sofia, built from 1897 to 1899.

The building was built in the Beaux-Arts style, an architectural style that mixed the principles of French neoclassicism with Gothic and Renaissance elements. A fire damaged the building in 1922 and WWII did too. Restored after the war, the City Hall to this day remains one of the most beautiful buildings in Rostov-on-Don. 

2. Chernova Mansion

This magnificent residential house was built in 1899 as a present for a paramour of a rich man. The building’s main feature is the belvedere decorated with a miniature dome. The facade of the building is striking in appearance, decorated by sculptures and a massive balcony. 

The original owner lost the building, as it was nationalized after the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution. Since then, throughout the years, the building has hosted a dressmaking school, a prosecutor’s office and an archive.

The building went through a major reconstruction in 2001. Since then, it’s hosted a bank office. It also has the status of an object of the cultural heritage of regional importance.

3. Paramonov Mansion

Another residential building on our list was built in 1914 for a millionaire Nikolay Paramonov, who had just been amnestied from a three-year prison term he was sentenced to for “disrespecting the authorities and calling for the overthrow of the state system” in Tsarist Russia. 

The uncompromising millionaire lived there with his wife and children up until the building was requisitioned by the Bolsheviks, whom Paramonov had supported only a few years before that. 

A fire damaged the building in 1918, but it was reconstructed in 1923, only a few years after Paramonov had fled from the turbulent country to settle in Germany. In the 1930s, the building was turned into a local museum and, later, into a library.

4. The building of the State Bank

Constructed in 1915, it was originally built as a replacement to a much smaller building occupied by an office of the State Bank of the Russian Empire. 

Like many other notable buildings in the city, this one was nationalized by the Soviet regime after the Russian Revolution. The building underwent its latest reconstruction in 1994, during which the original heraldic composition and the sign of the state bank office were restored.

Today, the historic building hosts a Rostov branch of Russia’s Central Bank. It, too, has the status of an object of the cultural heritage of regional significance.

5. Martyn brothers’ house

A local architect designed this building with construction being completed in 1893. The first owner of the building was British subject Ivan Martyn and his family. Its unusual architectural style combined Russian and German influences: the two-story building also has a small tower. 

In the 1920s the building was nationalized and transformed into communal apartments. Then, in 2007, the building was given to a museum complex dedicated to the life and work of author Mikhail Sholokhov.

6. Petrov Mansion

This building was constructed at the end of the 19th century and has an unusual story of ownership. In 1898, it belonged to a railroad company that promised it as a bonus to any lawyer who would help it win a business-related hearing in court.

Rostov lawyer Apollon Petrov stepped forward and helped the company win the case. Not only did he receive a position as legal adviser to the management of the company as a result, but he also became the rightful owner of this magnificent and luxurious residential building, where he lived with his wife and children.

After the Russian Revolution, Petrov resettled in France, while his mansion was nationalized. In 1959, the building was transferred to the Rostov Regional Museum of fine arts. 

7. School of household economics and cooking

Nikolai Tokarev, a rich merchant from Rostov, used his funds to launch a school where pupils were taught household economics and cooking in 1898. Two years later, in 1901, the merchant sponsored the construction of a two-story building that would host his school. Upon completion, Tokarev gave the building as a gift to the city.

In Soviet times, the building hosted a canteen, yet in the 1990s, it was privatized. In 2009, the building was acquired by a restaurant business. The new owners changed the original reddish color of the walls to grey.

8. Rostov Drama Theater

At the time of construction in 1935, this building was a pearl of the Constructivist architectural style in the USSR, one that aimed to reflect modern industrial society by rejecting decorative stylization and alluring to industrial progress.

In particular, the architects of the Maxim Gorky Rostov Drama Theater drew inspiration from the industrial boom in the USSR and designed the building to resemble a giant tractor with caterpillar tracks. 

9. Iversky Convent

Legend has it that Samuil Fyodorov, a rich Rostov merchant, had  this convent commissioned for his daughter, who had wished to become a nun. The monastery was completed and consecrated in 1908. 

Locals also believe that Nicholas II, the last Tsar, and his son Alexei visited the monastery when they were passing by Rostov. During WWI, the convent hosted an orphanage for girls from Poland.

The Soviet authorities shut the convent in 1929. Yet, in 1991, after the dissolution of the USSR, the female monastery was reopened. 

10. Surb Khach Church

This 18th-century Armenian Surb Khach church is also known as the Holy Cross Church. Constructed between 1786 and 1792, it is often referred to as the oldest building in the city that has survived to today.

Now, it is one of the most popular places in Rostov-on-Don for the Epiphany bathing ritual among city residents.

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Rusmania • Deep into Russia

In the Historical Centre

Rostov kremlin.

  Rostov's most famous sight is of course its Kremlin which is located in the very centre of the city. It was built between 1670 and 1683 on the orders of Metropolitan Iona Sysoevich of Rostov and Yaroslavl to serve as a new residence for himself.  Even though the strong fortified walls and 11 towers were really more for decorative purposes rather than defensive ones, the new residence nevertheless started to be referred to as a kremlin.

  After the Rostov and Yaroslavl Eparchy was reorganised as the Yaroslavl and Rostov Eparchy in the late 18th century, the seat of the eparchy moved to Yaroslavl and the kremlin began to fall into disrepair. This trend was only halted in 1883 when a group of merchants decided to establish a Museum of Church Antiquities on its territory. In 1918, after the Revolution, the kremlin became state property and a museum which existed under several names until it became known as the Rostov Kremlin State Museum Reserve in 1995. Today it remains state property although Patriarch Kirill has been leading the calls for it to be returned to the Russian Orthodox Church to be used as a monastery.

  A ticket must be bought to enter its territory and individual tickets must be bought to visit each of its exhibitions.  Inside the kremlin is separated into three parts: Cathedral Square, the central part and the Metropolitan's Gardens. The kremlin is especially beautiful when viewed from the shores of Lake Nero and all its churches' domes are visible, making it look like something out of a Russian fairy-tale.

Dormition Cathedral

  The Cathedral Square section of the Kremlin, which is its most northern part, is dominated by the kremlin's main cathedral - the Dormition Cathedral. The current cathedral dates from between 1508 and 1512 and is the fourth incarnation to stand here. The first version was a wooden church erected by St Theodore, Bishop of Rostov and Suzdal, in the 10th century. The second was a stone replacement which stood from 1160 to 1204 until it was destroyed by fire to be replace by the third version which stood from the first half of the 13th century until it too was destroyed by fire in 1408. The white stone cathedral from base to cross stands at a massive 60 metres and its five domes stand on tall tholobates and are covered with tin tiles in the traditional form. Around two-thirds up, the building is decorated with ornamental engravings which run around the cathedral, this 'belt' is typical for Rostov church architecture, an influence from Moscow-style architecture. Despite its recent restoration work the cathedral still manages to retain its ancient look. Inside most of its frescos have faded or been completely lost and although the baroque-style iconostasis frame dating from the 1730s remains, its icons have been removed.

  Next to the cathedral is a massive belfry which was constructed in the 1680s. Out of all of its 15 bells the largest is known as Sysoy after Metropolitan Jonah's father and weighs in at 2000 poods (almost 33 tonnes). The Sysoy bell was cast in 1688 and a whole new tower had to be built onto the belfry to house it. The range of bells creates an especially harmonious sound for which Rostov has become famous.

St John the Theologian's Gate-Church

  Most of the kremlin's buildings are located in the central part around the pond. The main entrance into this part of the kremlin from the city is served by St John the Theologian's Gate-Church which was built in 1683 into the walls of the kremlin. On the outside of the kremlin the church is flanked by two towers which also form part of the Holy Gates. The church's beautiful frescoes inside, which also date from 1683, depict the life of St John the Theologian and St Abraham (Avraami) of Rostov.

Hodegetria Icon Church (Baroque and Rococo Exhibitions)

  In the north-western corner of the kremlin's central part stands the Hodegetria Icon Church. Out of all the kremlin's churches this was the last to be built, having been constructed between 1692 and 1693 under Jonah's successor as metropolitan. It is rectangular in form with a single tiled-dome on the raised part of the building in the centre. It is an example of the Moscow baroque architectural style. Outside it is decorated with a pattern of triangles which gives the effect of reliefs from afar. The building now houses an exhibition on the era of baroque and rococo architectural styles.

Resurrection of Christ Gate-Church

The Resurrection of Christ Gate-Church is built over the gate which connects Cathedral Square with the central part of the kremlin. It dates from 1670 and was also constructed as part of Jonah's building programme. Like the St John the Theologian's Gate-Church, the Resurrection Church-Gate comprises two towers forming the gate on the outside of the kremlin and a closed gallery on the inside, but instead of green domes, this church has grey ones.

Judicial Prikaz (Museum of Finift)

In the corner between the Resurrection of Christ Gate-Church and the 'House on the Cellar' ('Dom na Pogrebakh'), which is now a hotel, is the building known as the Judicial Prikaz which dates from 1650 and 1660 and was originally used as the local administration of Rostov. Today it holds the Museum of Finift - copper decorated with enamel for which Rostov is famous.

Samuilov Building (Art Gallery and Ancient Russian Culture Exhibition)

The Samuilov Building, located practically in the centre of the kremlin, dates from the 17th century but extra stories were added in the 18th century. Originally built as the metropolitan's chambers, it now holds the kremlin's main museum. It includes a gallery of Russian painting from the 18th to early 20th century and an exhibition hall on ancient Russian culture. Several temporary exhibitions on various themes are also held here.

Miracle-Image of the Saviour Church

The Miracle-Image of the Saviour Church was built next to the kremlin walls in 1675 to serve as one of the main buildings in Metropolitan Jonah's new residence. It is built onto the White Chambers which housed the metropolitan's palace and a refectory. Above this is the church decorated with frescoes painted in 1675 by masters from Yaroslavl which have survived to this day. On top of the building stands a single golden dome.

White Chamber (Museum of Church Antiquities)

Immediately next to the Miracle-Image of the Saviour Church is t he White Chamber of the Rostov Kremlin, which dates from between  1670 and 1680.   The chamber now holds the Museum of Church Antiquities, which exhibits items which were used in church services over the centuries when the Rostov Kremlin was still a religious centre.

Red Chamber (Bells and Porcelain Exhibitions)

The building known as the Red Chamber which is situated in the corner between the Samuilov Building and St John the Theologian's Gate-Church and was built between 1670 and 1680. Today the chamber is now used for exhibits and expositions, including exhibits on the bells used in the Yam postal system, porcelain goods from the 18th - 20th centuries, Russian 19th and 20th century landscape paintings and the history of Rostov. The ground floor of the chamber holds temporary expositions.

St Gregory the Theologian's Church

The southern part of the kremlin is known as the Metropolitan's Gardens, but was once the Grigorievsky Zatvor Monastery where St Stephen of Perm lived as a monk in the 14th century to prepare for his missionary work to convert the Komi people to Orthodoxy. The monastery was dissolved in the early 18th century but its main church remains - St Gregory the Theologian's Church. The church dates from the 1670s and is similar in style to the other churches in the kremlin, but slightly less decorated, with five green domes topped with elongated crosses.

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Designing Motherhood Virtual Tour

June 1, 2023

Designing Motherhood was on display at the Mütter Museum from May 2021 through May 2022. Although the exhibit is no longer up, you can still enjoy it in this comprehensive virtual tour with our very own curator, Anna Dhody, and Gabriella Nelson from the Maternity Care Coalition!