Hidden away on the busy streets of Bangkok, Thailand, is a little museum that is equal parts fascinating and nightmarish called the Siriraj Medical Museum. At this point, you might be saying, “Medical museum? So what? That doesn’t sound too scary.” That’s where you’re wrong. This museum has some of the freakiest medical oddities in the world on display, and just seeing them might keep you up for weeks.
In case you’re not convinced of the freakiness yet, the Siriraj Medical Museum also goes by the nickname of “The Museum of Death.”
Despite such a morbid nickname, the museum serves as a valuable source for doctors and medical students.
The collection inside showcases a wide variety of medical oddities from around the world.
The oddities inside range from “Hmm interesting…” to “OMG WHAT?!”
Children’s skeletons.
A preserved fetus.
A cross section of a human infant.
A rare medical condition.
The result of a severe case of rickets. Because of a vitamin deficiency, the leg bones become weak and bend under the weight of the body.
This child had hydrocephalus, a condition that occurs when spinal fluid is unable to drain from the head.
As you might imagine with a place like this, the museum is rumored to be haunted.
Despite the generally horrifying appearance of these exhibits, there is a certain reverence among the Thai people for those who suffered and ended up as exhibits in the museum.
It’s not uncommon to see candy left in the museum near the bodies of the children. The sweets are meant as an offering for their spirits.
(source Reddit)
Yes, these are some pretty scary exhibits. However, it’s important to remember that before they were in this museum, these were real people suffering from real illnesses. Though it’s morbid to think about, at least their suffering was not in vain. Their preserved remains are now being used to educate a new generation of doctors. Hopefully, no one else will have to suffer what they went through.