September 1, 2009 (Vol. 29, No. 15)
URL:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/exhibition/dreamanatomy
Rating:
Strong Points: Background information, gallery of images from exhibition
Weak Points: None
Summary:
I love going to museums. When I can’t do that, I do the next best thing—read about the exhibit on the Internet, of course! Dream Anatomy was an exhibit at the National Library of Medicine during the winter of 2002–2003, but thanks to the companion website of the same name, we can still enjoy many aspects of the exhibit (sans time machine). This website offers a fascinating look at the history of anatomical drawings, exploring not only the science behind them, but also how the images reflect the zeitgeist of various time periods. The Gallery section of the site showcases a number of the images from the exhibit, whereas the remainder of the website focuses on background information and history. (For instance, can you name 11 different technologies of anatomical representation?) As a companion site, Dream Anatomy provides ample information to stand on its own. You will almost certainly find yourself dreaming of (or at least thinking of) viscera for days to come.
