Surgeons' Hall Museum

Old bones and pickled, disturbingly well-preserved bits of bodies in jars – Surgeons' Hall is not your usual Sunday brunch viewing experience. In fact, the more delicate amongst you might want to avoid brunch altogether before visiting. However, visit you should, as it is both highly educational and morbidly fascinating. Originally a teaching museum for students, Surgeons' Hall has been open for public access since 1832, making it the oldest museum in Scotland. It houses one of the largest and most historic collections of surgical pathology material in the UK, with permanent exhibitions and displays including the Dental Collection (some of its more ominously looking instruments are sure to make you appreciate your dentist), two galleries dedicated to the history of surgery – with special emphasis on Scottish key figures and contributions – and last, but not least, the Pathology Museum, chock with the earlier mentioned jars of oddities. A must see for those interested in anatomy and the history of medicine.