Digitisation of Anatomical Specimens and Historical Pathology Specimens for Educational Benefit

In this paper we describe the scanning and digital development of anatomical and pathological specimens through trialling a variety of software packages and approaches to the creation of a digital record. Medical museums have traditionally been something that has not always been accessible to the wider public for a variety of reasons. The traditions within medicine and the science of the human body have typically not always been able to be accessed to members of the public. However, digitising artefacts is becoming more common, and this can enable wider access to scientific information to ensure people are more fully informed about the body and its processes and the rich history of medical science. As such, we present here a variety of means to digitise anatomical and pathological collections of historical specimens of international cultural significance. We present here the challenges with imaging these types of specimens and offer solutions to a range of challenges faced in the scanning of specimens. The use of digital specimens and their integration into learning and teaching is also considered. This should provide a research-informed and research-led approach to enhance the creation of digital assets for use in online museums and digital games, not just for the anatomy and pathology fields, but that of the wider museum community involved in engagement of a variety of different audiences.