Humanity on Display

Can I donate my body to a museum?

Carol's donation was very nearly derailed by her lack of a written will. Although she expressed an interest in donating her body to the Museum, she made no formal or legal arrangements that would have allowed the Museum to prepare in advance of her death. In the end, the Museum was able to adapt and receive her donation, and were protected from legal concerns thanks to a video recording in which Carol states her wish for her body to go to the Museum. If Carol had had living family, however, they could have chosen to contest this video evidence and may have been given the legal right to decide what happened to Carol's remains.

For those who are interested in body donation, the takeaway from this is that the first priority is to write down your wishes in a formal, legal document. You should consider keeping multiple copies of that document, such as leaving one with a lawyer, one with your physician (if relevant), and one with the organization that you'd like to donate to. 

The majority of remains donated in the United States are used for teaching in medical schools or for research into forensics. Each state has its own policies and procedures for body donation, and maintains a list of in-state organizations that are approved to accept donations; you can check your state here. If you'd like to donate to a specific museum rather than simply donating in general, your best bet is to work directly with the museum that you're interested in. Moving a body across state lines can be complex, so keep that in mind when making your plans.

The Mutter Museum, where Carol Orzel's remains reside, does accept donations! The Museum can accept both examples of pathologies and healthy specimens. Body Worlds exhibitions are another option for donating your remains to be displayed in a museum, although there are more conditions that have to be met in order to be eligible. Almost all organizations that can accept donations, including the Mutter Museum and Body Works, ask donors to prepare to pay the costs of transporting their bodies to the organization. 
 

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