The Hunterian is currently showing a major exhibition William Hunter and the Anatomy of the Modern Museum, staged to mark the tercentenary of the birth of William Hunter, on whose collections the museum was founded in 1807.

I am writing to invite you to participate in an informal event where you will have an opportunity to discuss and reflect on a number of issues raised by the exhibition itself, and by Hunter’s collections more broadly. We hope to examine these both within the context of The Hunterian’s immediate academic communities and, more widely, as part of our developing role as a central participant in the unique institutional partnership (with the National Libraries of Scotland and Glasgow Life) now established at Glasgow’s Kelvin Hall.

William Hunter and the Anatomy of the Modern Museum, together with its accompanying publication (Yale University Press) is the result of a collaborative research programme between The Hunterian and The Yale Center for British Art (Yale University). The exhibition in Glasgow runs until 6th January 2019 before transferring to New Haven (February 14th to May 20th 2019), the selection being described in The Scotsman by Duncan Macmillan as representing Hunter’s ‘very particular, but also creative approach to knowledge.’

The exhibition selection offers an exceptional and extensive overview of Hunter’s encyclopaedic collections. Central to Hunter’s project were materials now frequently considered problematic; objects ranging from challenging anatomical preparations through to ‘first contact’ material collected on the Cook voyages to the Pacific. The exhibition and publication have generated significant new scholarship about Hunter’s collections, their formation, and the underlying intent and purpose behind Hunter’s bequest. Of equal importance throughout the project however has been the unique opportunity to open up new fields of enquiry and encourage ethical and other debate surrounding 21st century approaches to research and curatorial interpretation of the richly multi-disciplinary fields represented.

•             Participants will have the opportunity to tour the exhibition with the curators and discuss its curatorial strategy and the challenges faced.

•             An informal discussion will follow, with participants sharing reflections on the exhibition and helping frame avenues and strategies for future enquiry and public interpretation.

•             The Hunterian’s education and engagement team will record, take notes and analyse discussions to inform further curatorial strategies.

If you have any questions do please get in touch with either Mungo Campbell, Deputy Director (Mungo.Campbell@glasgow.ac.uk) or Lola Sanchez-Jauregui, William Hunter Curator (Lola.Sanchez-Jauregui@glasgow.ac.uk at The Hunterian.

We look forward to seeing you in Glasgow on 17th December.