The Hunterian Museum arose from the 1799 purchase by the Royal College of Surgeons of the collection of anatomical works and specimens by the physician John Hunter. A few years after the Hitchcocks' visit, alterations were made to the displays and new rooms were added.
A similar museum was founded in Glasgow in 1807 under a bequest by physician William Hunter, John's older brother, to the University of Glasgow. It includes zoology, art, anatomical, and anatomical pathology collections and a library of books and manuscripts. It is considered Scotland's first and finest museum. When the Hitchcocks were there, the entire collection was displayed in one building, but today have been dispersed across the campus.
During World War II, a significant portion of the London collection was destroyed when a bomb was dropped on the building. The museum has been rebuilt, keeping the remains of the original Hunter collection and expanded into new areas.