London’s medical history is written in stone, glass, and—sometimes—formalin. From 18th-century surgeons and “resurrection men” to today’s medical museums, here’s where you can trace the city’s dissection past—and feel that shiver J.F. Penn channeled in Desecration.

1) The Hunterian Museum, Royal College of Surgeons of England (Lincoln’s Inn Fields)

Why go: England’s most famous collection of anatomical and surgical specimens, rooted in the work of 18th-century surgeon-anatomist John Hunter. After a major redevelopment, the museum reopened in May 2023 with free admission and thousands of preparations on display. (Museums Association)
Plan your visit: hunterianmuseum.org
What to look for (fiction tie-in): The eerie beauty of wax models and jars echoes Desecration’s opening at the Hunterian—where an anatomical Venus becomes a vital clue amid the specimen cases.
More on Hunter: The museum’s official bio traces his London career in dissection and surgery. (Hunterian Museum)

2) The Old Operating Theatre Museum & Herb Garret (London Bridge)

Why go: Europe’s oldest surviving surgical theatre (1822), tucked in the attic of the old St Thomas’ Church. See where operations took place before anaesthetics and antisepsis—a visceral window onto pre-modern surgery. (oldoperatingtheatre.com)
Plan your visit: oldoperatingtheatre.com (check current opening hours). (oldoperatingtheatre.com)

3) Wellcome Collection (Euston)

Why go: A free museum and library exploring the past, present, and future of health through art and medical history—perfect context for the ethical questions Desecration stirs up. (Wellcome)
Plan your visit: wellcomecollection.org

4) Barts Pathology Museum (Smithfield)

Why go: A dramatic three-tier Victorian pathology museum with 5,000+ specimens—primarily a teaching and medical-humanities hub, with occasional public events. Not typically open for general drop-in visits, so watch their listings. (Queen Mary University of London)
Learn more / events: qmul.ac.uk/pathologymuseum
(Note: St Bartholomew’s Hospital Museum nearby does not hold specimens; Barts Pathology Museum is separate and “not normally open to the public.”) (Barts North Wing)

5) “Resurrection Men,” the Murder Act, and the Anatomy Act—London’s cadaver supply chain

Before legal donation, London’s anatomy schools relied on executed criminals and an illicit trade in the dead.

• Murder Act (1752): made post-mortem dissection part of the punishment for murder, tying anatomy to criminal justice. (Cambridge University Press & Assessment)

• Anatomy Act (1832): finally regularised supply by allowing licensed teachers of anatomy to use unclaimed bodies from workhouses, hospitals, and prisons (and, with consent, relatives could permit anatomical examination). (Parliament UK News)

• London Burkers (1831): when grave-robbing wasn’t enough, some criminals murdered to sell bodies—see the London Museum’s object record on Williams, Bishop & May. (London Museum)
  For a concise explainer on “resurrection men,” see this medical-history overview. (PMC)

Bonus context from Desecration

Penn’s novel captures the Hunterian’s atmosphere—rows of specimen jars and a chilling anatomical Venus—to ask what our bodies mean in life and death. Those details come straight from time spent in the museum and London exhibitions on dissection and “resurrection men.”

Practical links (quick list)

• Hunterian Museum — hunterianmuseum.org (free, Tue–Sat). (Hunterian Museum)

• Old Operating Theatre — oldoperatingtheatre.com (check hours). (oldoperatingtheatre.com)

• Wellcome Collection — wellcomecollection.org (free). (Wellcome)

• Barts Pathology Museum — qmul.ac.uk/pathologymuseum (events). (Queen Mary University of London)

• London Museum (successor to Museum of London) — online collections & stories: londonmuseum.org.uk. (London Museum)

Want to read more?

Desecration (Dark London #1) opens with a ritualised murder linked to London’s anatomy collections. As DS Jamie Brooke investigates, an ivory anatomical Venus becomes a key to secrets spanning medical history, grief, and power—while researcher Blake Daniel’s gift for reading objects turns artifacts into witnesses. If you love dark London thrillers with macabre museums and ethical quandaries, start here: Desecration, or explore the Dark London world.

Note: Always check each venue’s website for current opening times and ticketing before you go.