Beyond intellectual or geopolitical legacies, some of history's most influential figures have left behind more… personal mementos. Yes, you can visit Einstein's brain, Rasputin's penis, and Galileo's middle finger, among other historic human curiosities.
Here are a few of my favorites corporeal curiosities with historical significance:
• Einstein's brain, controversially removed during his autopsy, was divided into pieces for scientific study. Today, some of those pieces are preserved in the Mutter Museum in Philadelphia, offering a chance to marvel at the grey matter of one of history's greatest minds. (For more on this, don't miss Steven Levy's classic 1978 article about how he helped find Einstein's brain!)
• Meanwhile, the Russian mystic Rasputin—known for his alleged powers and mysterious death—has an even stranger relic: his preserved penis. The Mad Monk's member is in a museum in St. Petersburg, or at least the 13" (!) penis is purported to be his.
• Galileo's middle finger is housed in Florence's Galileo Museum. Pointed up, it's a fitting tribute to the scientist who changed our understanding of the cosmos despite the Church's condemnation. Image above.
More in the Weird History video below and at Ranker.
Previously:
• Medical museum embroiled in brouhaha over bequeathed body parts
• Man sentenced for two years probation for dealing in human body parts
