mortuary

Mortuary refers to a facility or building where the dead are stored and prepared for burial or cremation, and to the businesses that provide related funeral services. In hospital settings, a morgue is the area where bodies are kept and autopsies may be performed; in community use, a mortuary often denotes a funeral home with viewing rooms, chapels, and arrangements for services and transport.

Typical functions include intake of a deceased person, confirmation of identity and cause of death, preservation through embalming if requested, dressing and cosmetic restoration, casketing, and arranging for cremation or burial. Bodies are kept in refrigerated storage until service date, transfer, or final disposition. Mortuaries also handle documentation such as death certificates and permits, and coordinate with families, religious authorities, and cemeteries or crematories.

Facilities commonly found in mortuaries include preparation rooms, embalming suites, viewing or visitation rooms, chapels or ceremonial spaces, offices for staff, and refrigerated morgues. Some facilities house on-site crematories; others coordinate with external providers. Staffing typically includes funeral directors or morticians, embalmers, and support personnel, all subject to licensing and regulatory oversight that varies by jurisdiction and culture.

The term mortuary derives from Latin mortuarius, related to the dead, and has evolved to cover both storage/processing facilities and the funeral-service industry. Practices reflect cultural, religious, and environmental considerations, including respect for the deceased and for grieving families.