As the highest command center of the human body, the brain remains one of the greatest unsolved mysteries of human anatomy.
To study the brain, generations of medical scientists have been dedicated to this cause — perhaps only zombies have a greater interest in brains than these scientists.
For this reason, a hospital in Peru has specifically built a human brain museum. 
This human brain museum is located within the Santo Toribio de Mogrovejo Hospital in Peru, which has been collecting various brains for about 300 years.
To date, it holds 2,912 brains, with approximately 300 on display for public interaction.
It’s important to know that among these 300 exhibited brains, there’s not just the serene sight of healthy brains; the visual impact of diseased brains ensures a steady stream of visitors.
For instance, some brains have darkened blood vessels due to their owners consuming too much high-fat food, leading to arteriosclerosis; others have intricate scars or small holes caused by parasites.
Here’s a look at some of these brains to convince you:
Parasitic Disease-Infected Brains:
Cysticercosis
Toxoplasmosis
Brains with Tumors:
Medulloblastoma
Acoustic Neuroma
Schwannoma
Brains with Brain Diseases:
Alzheimer’s Disease
Microcephaly
Furthermore, this museum, to offer a more intuitive observation of the brain, also displays many brains with faces, providing a visual impact that rivals the diseased brains.
What’s more shocking is that this museum doesn’t just focus on brains; many malformed fetuses are also among its unique exhibits.
Faced with such an educational and weight-loss-inducing museum, sharp-eyed media naturally wouldn’t miss out. Recently, AFP interviewed the museum’s director, Diana Rivas.
Regarding the significance of the museum’s existence, she said:
“The collection includes a large number of diseased and healthy brains, allowing both researchers and the public to glimpse the mysteries within the brain.
“We also take this opportunity to show the public the appearance of healthy and diseased brains. For example, some brains belonged to owners who had cysticercosis, which can cause seizures.
Cysticercosis parasites are found in pork, and if you don’t wash your hands properly, the parasites might transfer to your body. This disease is contagious.”
In the subsequent interview, Rivas showcased a healthy brain used for dissection and gave the journalists a lesson:
“The weight of a human brain ranges from 1.2 to 2.4 kilograms, varying by gender, height, and weight. For instance, because women use language more frequently, their brains are more evolved than men’s.”
Through Rivas’s demonstration, we see that a healthy brain is roughly the size of a deflated soccer ball, with, as she puts it, “the hardness of rubber.”
Rivas then examined the two hemispheres of the brain and carefully peeled away the meninges.
Once the meninges were removed, the brain’s fascinating grooves were fully revealed — a labyrinth of gray and white matter, hiding the secrets of thought, language, and almost all bodily functions.
Currently, there are few museums worldwide with such a large collection of real brains, and this one is the only one in the Americas. The museum now attracts 20,000 visitors annually, most of whom are elementary school students tricked into visiting by parents or teachers…
As soon as visitors enter the museum, they are invited to “touch a real skull” and feel the structure of these skulls that can unfold to 2 square meters.
Some visitors with weaker psychological resilience are immediately stunned or even vomit on the spot — according to Rivas, about 1,000 people each year faint or vomit upon seeing the exhibit.
However, although most visitors enter with a look of confusion and leave in terror, the doctors working here are already accustomed to these “splattered brain” scenes.
Because for them, these brains are like comrades-in-arms, sharing the same journey in healing and saving lives.
