Philadelphia’s Mutter Museum Faces Accountability in Handling Human Remains

Philadelphia’s storied Mutter Museum is undergoing a significant shift in its handling of thousands of human remains—bones, organs, and specimens collected mostly between 1840 and 1940. But behind this evolution lies a grappling with uncomfortable truths that resonate far beyond the museum walls and raise critical questions about how America honors its past without sacrificing the values of individual dignity and national sovereignty. Why Should Hardworking Americans Care About an Old Medical Collection? The Mutter Museum holds roughly 6,500 human specimens, many obtained during eras when ethical standards were either non-existent or flagrantly ignored. The institution rightly acknowledges that some...