Postmortem Open House

The Mütter Museum at The College of Physicians of Philadelphia is holding bi-monthly open house events as part of its Postmortem Project, a collaborative public engagement initiative aimed at gathering feedback about the Museum from stakeholders and the general public. These events include free Museum access from 3 p.m. – 7 p.m. and opportunities for attendees to engage with collection items while sharing feedback about current and future exhibitions in a variety of creative ways. 

Join us Thursday, April 25 for an engaging exploration of our ongoing work at the Mütter Museum. 

• Have a hand in shaping the future of Mutter Museum exhibitions, centering medical history, public health, illness and wellness. 

• Discover rare and unique items from our collection that illuminate the incredible journey of medicine.  

• Participate in facilitated group conversations delving into critical questions about medical teaching collections, representation, and accessibility. .  

Your insights and perspectives are invaluable to this endeavor as we engage with these important topics together. The material gathered from these events will be used to inspire, shape, and build-out the Postmortem exhibition which is slated to open in May 2024. Feedback opportunities will include the following:

• Gallery Comments: As visitors move through the galleries, they will be encouraged to leave written notes near collection items that inspire curiosity, confusion, or concern. 

• Personal Stories: Prompts will be provided to inspire visitors to share personal stories about their connection to medical history, personal health, and the Museum.

• Future Exhibitions: Feedback opportunities will ask open house attendees to share their ideas for potential future exhibition themes.

While the Open House is free and includes access to the Museum, we recommend you reserve your spot in advance as the capacity is capped at 100 visitors per hour. Limited walk-in opportunities will be available. 

Save the Date: The Postmortem Project Exhibition will open late May 2024

Save the Date: Additional Open Houses and additional activations will be held over the coming months:

• June 27, 2024 • 3–7 PM – Open House 

• August 29, 2024 • 3–7 PM – Open House 

• October 2024 • Open House 

• January 2025 • Summative Town Hall 

We are excited to continue to evolve the feedback and learning opportunities available during these events including adding potential panel discussions, exhibit tours, and more feedback stations. 

Acknowledgments

Support for Postmortem: Mütter Museum has been provided by The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage.