We recently visited Surgeons' Hall Museum in Edinburgh, home to the collections of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, founded in 1505, it is one of the world's oldest surgical institutions. Today we're sharing some highlights from the History of Surgery Gallery. Let's go!

The gallery traces Edinburgh's extraordinary contribution to modern surgical practice, covering the key figures who transformed what surgery could be, from James Syme's work in the pre-anaesthesia era, to Joseph Lister's discovery of antiseptic techniques, to James Young Simpson's pioneering use of chloroform as an anaesthetic in 1847.

Plaque for James Young Simpson, St Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh, Vault Editions

The Groundbreaking Anatomy Theatre

One of the gallery's most striking features is its recreation of an 18th-century anatomy theatre, complete with an interactive dissection table. The display recreates the atmosphere of the first public dissection held in Scotland in 1702. There's tiered seating for the observers to view and a body at the centre of the space. It's an immersive reminder of just how public and theatrical the early history of surgery was, when dissection was as much a spectacle as a scientific exercise. For anyone interested in the history of anatomical illustration, our article, A Brief History of Anatomy Illustration, is a good companion read.

The Anatomy Theatre, copyright of The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh 2026.

The Infamous Criminals, Burke and Hare

The gallery covers the darker side of surgical history, including the case of William Burke and William Hare, who murdered at least 16 people in Edinburgh in 1828 and sold their bodies to anatomist Dr Robert Knox, who played a significant role at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and Surgeons' Hall, before the scandal destroyed his reputation.

Portraits of William Burke (1792-1829) and Helen McDougal (b. c. 1795), on trial in Edinburgh in 1828 for the West Port murders. Coloured etching, c. 1829. Wellcome Collection

Following his public execution on 28 January 1829, Burke's body was itself (legally) sent to the University of Edinburgh for public anatomical dissection, which was a fitting, if not ironic, conclusion. Sections of his skin were used to create small souvenirs, a practice known as anthropodermic bibliopegy. On display in the History of Surgery Gallery, you can see the skin pocketbook, a small brown notebook with a gold-tooled inscription on the back marking his execution date, alongside an original plaster death mask cast from his face immediately after his hanging. The museum also has his skeleton on display. 

Skeleton of William Burke, copyright of The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh 2026.

We also visited St Cuthbert's Church nearby, a magnificent building with many beautiful features, including a Tiffany & Co. stained glass window. At the south-west corner of the churchyard stands a Watchtower, built in 1827 specifically to defend against grave robbers like Burke and Hare, digging up bodies from Edinburgh's graveyards to sell to Knox. 

St Cuthbert's Burial Ground Watchtower by David Dixon

Arthur Conan Doyle and Sherlock Holmes

One unexpected highlight is the story of Arthur Conan Doyle's connection to the Royal College. Conan Doyle was born in Edinburgh in 1859 and enrolled at the Medical School in 1876, where he became the clerk and assistant of surgeon Joseph Bell at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. Bell was legendary among his students for his extraordinary powers of observation; his party trick was to examine a complete stranger and deduce their occupation, recent activities, and personal habits from nothing more than their appearance and mannerisms.

Joseph Bell, 1896 by George Fiddes Watt, The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh 2026. 

The connection between the two men was confirmed beyond doubt in 2006, when a letter from Conan Doyle to Bell was discovered in the Library and Archive at Surgeons' Hall. In it, Conan Doyle writes explicitly: "It is most certainly to you that I owe Sherlock Holmes." (Linda Hall Library) If you're a Sherlock Holmes fan, a visit to the museum is a must.

Memento Mori on gravestone at St Cuthbert's Church, Edinburgh, Vault Editions.

Please note: photography is not permitted inside Surgeons' Hall Museum. Images of the interior of the museum or its items are by Surgeons' Hall Museum and are copyright of The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh 2026.

The museum is open seven days a week; for more information visit: museum.rcsed.ac.uk.