Unseen
7 March 2025 to 8 March 2026
'Unseen' reveals how, for centuries, medical science has taken the male body as the norm, often overlooking women and gender-diverse individuals. Discover the hidden stories behind medical inequality and how it continues to impact the healthcare we receive today.
For centuries, medical science was dominated by a single standard: the male body. Women and gender-diverse individuals were, both literally and figuratively, unseen in medicine. The result? A world in which women's pain is systematically underestimated, their conditions are diagnosed later, and treatments are still not tailored to their bodies. Because of this narrow focus, illnesses that present differently in women were recognized much later—or remain shrouded in mystery even today. The impact of this inequality is still felt to this day.
The exhibition Unseen. Inequality in Medicine sheds light on this still-overlooked issue and poses a crucial question: how do we build a more equitable healthcare system?
Remarkable, Defining, and Surprising Objects
From a historic gynecological examination chair to contemporary artworks and groundbreaking medical insights—Unseen explores the roots of gender bias in medicine and what is needed to make healthcare more inclusive. The exhibition presents fascinating objects and stories, from centuries-old misconceptions about the uterus to the influence of feminist pioneers like Aletta Jacobs. Contemporary perspectives also take center stage, such as the striking Atlas of Queer Anatomy and one of the innovative anatomical models created by artist Nathalie Latour.
Unseen is an exhibition that moves, challenges, and inspires. It not only provides a startling look at the past but also offers a hopeful perspective on the future. What can we learn from history? What progress has already been made? And how can we ensure that everyone, regardless of gender, sex, or identity, receives the right medical care?
For centuries, medical science has ignored the diversity of the human body. What makes this exhibition unique is its remarkable collection, which powerfully illustrates the history of women's healthcare.
The exhibition was made possible with contributions from the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, Organon, and the Weteringschans Foundation.
