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Celebrating and expressing appreciation on the 150th Anniversary of the opening of the Mütter Museum of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia.
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WHEREAS, On May 20, 1856, Dr. Thomas Dent Mütter informed the College of Physicians of Philadelphia that he was retiring from teaching and wished to offer the guardianship of his personal museum to the College of Physicians as the "body best qualified by the character of its members and the nature of its pursuits for undertaking the trust"; and
WHEREAS, As a popular professor of surgery at Jefferson Medical College, Mütter had amassed a unique and valuable collection of anatomical and pathological materials for use in his classes. Accompanying the collection would be an endowment of $30,000; and
WHEREAS, Mütter specified that the College must erect a suitable fire-proof building within five years of signing the agreement. Having long felt the need for its own facilities in order to accommodate its growing library, and acknowledging that Mütter's museum would be a worthy and appropriate addition, the College signed the agreement with Dr. Mütter in 1859; and
WHEREAS, On March 4, 1863, the College opened a new building housing both the Mütter Museum and the College's library all under one roof; and
WHEREAS, In 1871, the College decided that the Museum should begin collecting historical medical instruments as well. These now constitute a major part of the museum's acquisitions - items reflecting changes in the technology of medicine and memorabilia of present and past practitioners; and
WHEREAS, The College continued to purchase collections and accept donations for both its library and museum. This created a persistent need for more space, and in 1908 the College began construction on its new home on 22nd Street, between Chestnut and Market; and
WHEREAS, The Mütter Museum is world-renowned as a valuable resource for educating and enlightening the Public about the medical past, and telling ...
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