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Free anatomy resources for students
Free anatomy resources for medical, nursing and physiotherapy students, by use: textbooks, 3D atlases, videos, terms, imaging and self-tests, and what is free.
The best free anatomy resources cover different jobs: a free textbook to learn from (OpenStax Anatomy and Physiology 2e), a free 3D atlas to see structures in place (Z-Anatomy on a computer, Anatomy Atlas 3D on iPhone and iPad), the official Latin terms (the TA2 Viewer), videos for hard regions (AnatomyZone) and a quiz to test yourself. Most students need one of each rather than one paid platform.
Free anatomy textbooks
- OpenStax Anatomy and Physiology 2e: a complete college textbook, free to read online or download as a PDF, under an open licence. It covers every body system with figures and review questions, and many A&P courses use it as their main book. For apps to go with it, see the best anatomy and physiology apps.
- Gray's Anatomy plates on Wikimedia Commons: the illustrations of the 1918 edition of Gray's Anatomy, in the public domain. They are old drawings, useful for bones and classic dissections, not for modern terminology.
Free 3D atlases
- Anatomy Atlas 3D (iPhone and iPad): our app. 2,000 structures with English and Latin names, six layers you peel in one swipe, cross sections and a quiz, with no in-app purchase, account or ads, and it works offline. It needs iOS 18 or later. See how it compares with other free apps.
- Z-Anatomy: a free and open-source 3D atlas for computers, built on open anatomical data. Its models and definitions are released under an open licence, which is why other projects (ours included, for terminology) can build on it.
- Innerbody Human Anatomy Explorer: free illustrated pages for the twelve body systems, in the browser.
Free anatomy videos
- AnatomyZone: free 3D anatomy tutorials on YouTube, organised by region. Good for regions that are hard to picture from a book, such as the brachial plexus or the pterygopalatine fossa.
Anatomical terminology
- TA2 Viewer: the official list of anatomical terms (Terminologia Anatomica, 2nd edition) with the Latin and English names. Use it to check a Latin name before an exam.
Written guides with a free part
- TeachMeAnatomy: written guides by region with diagrams and clinical notes, free to read; the site also offers a question bank.
- Kenhub: articles and some quizzes are free; videos and the full quiz bank are part of a paid plan.
- IMAIOS e-Anatomy: labelled imaging (CT, MRI, X-ray) and illustrations; a few modules are free and the rest needs a subscription.
Free self-tests
- Our free anatomy quiz: one structure is lit on a 3D picture and you name it, in the browser, with no sign-up. There are also region quizzes for the shoulder, arm, hip, thigh, leg and bones.
- The tables in this site's region pages, such as the muscles of the shoulder, list origin, insertion and action side by side: cover a column and recite it.
How to combine them
- Read the chapter in OpenStax before the lecture or the lab.
- Find each structure in a 3D atlas, turning it to see what lies in front and behind.
- Check the Latin names you need in the TA2 Viewer.
- Watch a video for the region you find hardest.
- Test yourself the same day and again a few days later: a quiz you fail is more useful than a page you reread.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free resource to learn anatomy?
There is no single one. A free textbook (OpenStax) explains, a 3D atlas shows where things are, and a quiz checks what you remember. Students who use all three usually need no paid platform for a first anatomy course.
Is there a free 3D anatomy atlas?
Yes. Z-Anatomy is free and open source on computers, and Anatomy Atlas 3D is free on iPhone and iPad, with no in-app purchase, account or ads.
Where can I find the official Latin anatomical terms?
In the TA2 Viewer, which shows Terminologia Anatomica (2nd edition), the international reference for anatomical names in Latin and English.
Can I use these resources without an account?
OpenStax, Z-Anatomy, the TA2 Viewer, Gray's plates, AnatomyZone videos, Innerbody, our web quiz and Anatomy Atlas 3D work without an account. Kenhub and IMAIOS ask you to sign up for most of their content.
