Abstract
The Illustrated Catalogue of the Anatomical Museum at Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University, authored by Lesya Mateshuk-Vatseba and Uliana Pidvalna, with photographs by Yuriy Faryan, provides a comprehensive documentation of one of Ukraine’s most important anatomical collections. The 184-page volume features images of over 4,000 anatomical specimens, followed by bilingual descriptions in Ukrainian and English, making it an invaluable resource for educators, students, and researchers in anatomy, medicine, and museology.
Founded in 1894 by Professor Henryk Kadyi (1851 – 1912) as a separate anatomical museum, the museum's anatomical specimens date back further. Archival research indicates that Julius Planer von Plann (1827–1881) - a professor in Lviv and later head of the Department of Anatomy in Graz - played an important role in revitalizing anatomical collections in Lviv. Archival sources indicate that during Planer's tenure in Lviv, a Pathological-Anatomical Collection was established and the Physiological-Anatomical Collection was renewed. These early collections ultimately formed the foundations of today’s Anatomical Museum and Museum of Human Disease (Pathology Museum) at Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University. Further investigation into the identification of which specimens date from Planer’s period or earlier, highlighting the remarkable historical depth of the collection.
The catalog is organized according to the museum’s three exhibition halls, which guide the reader from skeletal structures to organ systems and functional anatomy. The collection includes a wide range of anatomical specimens, from fetal and pediatric skeletons to macerated bones, illustrating osteology, arthrology, and developmental as well as comparative anatomy. It also features fixed in liquid preparations of organs, including examples of congenital anomalies, cardiovascular and respiratory structures, and elements of the central nervous system. Additionally, mummified specimens demonstrate the anatomy of blood vessels, nerves, and possible variations.
The anatomical collection in Lviv has historical and scientific value, which was officially recognized as national heritage by the Ukrainian government (Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, 10 November 2021, No. 1206, On Scientific Objects Constituting National Heritage).
The Illustrated Catalogue is a meticulously compiled, richly illustrated, and historically important publication. It bridges historical scholarship with modern anatomical science, serving as a key reference for education, research, and public engagement, while preserving and celebrating the enduring legacy of anatomical study in Lviv.
To make this knowledge internationally accessible and safeguard the collection, an ongoing bilateral project is underway between the anatomical departments of the Medical University of Graz and Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University: “Anatomical Legacy: Digitally Preserving Our Past, Securing Our Future.” This initiative aims to digitize the museum’s specimens, making them available worldwide, promoting knowledge sharing, and reducing the risk of physical loss.