Visualising Medical Heritage: New Approaches to Digitisation and Interpretation of Medical Heritage Collections

New approaches to digitisation and interpretation of the heritage collections at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow (RCPSG) have been developed in partnership with the Anatomy Facility at the University of Glasgow. Drawing upon the work of the Medical Visualisation and Human Anatomy MSc programme at the University and The Glasgow School of Art, the approach of RCPSG has been to utilise innovative medical visualisation methods to provide an enhanced level of access to their museum collections. This chapter will discuss how this approach has opened up a wide range of possibilities for how these challenging objects can be interpreted and engaged with. It will outline how visualisation methods such as 3D digital modelling, photogrammetry, augmented reality, and animation can unlock the stories of scientific innovation, of the evolution of medical and surgical care, and of the wider social and cultural context of medical heritage.