thisbelongsinamuseum: This tumblr has a love/hate relationship with all things wax. I guess I’m like all the idiots out there who fall for the ridiculousness of wax museum tourist traps. I should know better. After all I’m a museologist. But what’s not to love about La Specola, the world’s largest and best known wax anatomical collection? Opened in 1775, it is the oldest museum in Europe. What started as the personal collection of the Medici family  (who were the Kardashians of their day) the museum has grown to over 34 rooms with displays that include a 17th century stuffed hippopotamus, now extinct specimens and the famous Venuses. If you have a thing for wax models of naked women posed in old-fashioned semi-erotic poses, but with their rib cages and stomachs pulled open, then you have something in common with the Marquis de Sade. These gutted female forms were his personal favorite. Why of course. But in all seriousness, the anatomical waxes were important in the teaching of medicine during the 17th century. The collection is still famous worldwide for the incredible accuracy and realism of the details, copied from real corpses (probably stolen). It is now part of the Museum of Zoology and Natural History in Florence. Oh, if you were ever curious what you’d look like without your skin, now you do. I’m glad I could help. Remember to moisturize everyday.
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thisbelongsinamuseum:

This tumblr has a love/hate relationship with all things wax. I guess I’m like all the idiots out there who fall for the ridiculousness of wax museum tourist traps. I should know better. After all I’m a museologist. But what’s not to love about La Specola, the world’s largest and best known wax anatomical collection? Opened in 1775, it is the oldest museum in Europe. What started as the personal collection of the Medici family  (who were the Kardashians of their day) the museum has grown to over 34 rooms with displays that include a 17th century stuffed hippopotamus, now extinct specimens and the famous Venuses. If you have a thing for wax models of naked women posed in old-fashioned semi-erotic poses, but with their rib cages and stomachs pulled open, then you have something in common with the Marquis de Sade. These gutted female forms were his personal favorite. Why of course. But in all seriousness, the anatomical waxes were important in the teaching of medicine during the 17th century. The collection is still famous worldwide for the incredible accuracy and realism of the details, copied from real corpses (probably stolen). It is now part of the Museum of Zoology and Natural History in Florence.

Oh, if you were ever curious what you’d look like without your skin, now you do. I’m glad I could help. Remember to moisturize everyday.

Source: thisbelongsinamuseum

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  1. imprintonmysoul reblogged this from thisbelongsinamuseum
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  9. igotaquestionmark reblogged this from blindinsect and added:
    lol so weird to read about this on tumblr. been there a load of times really cool museum
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  15. inmymimeseye reblogged this from fdfaumders and added:
    Calling the Medici “the Kardashians of their day” made me throw up a little. Christ—the Hiltons would be a better...
  16. fdfaumders reblogged this from thisbelongsinamuseum and added:
    my great sadnesses...have no excuse, really.
  17. thisbelongsinamuseum posted this

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