A general note at first, if I may. I am not sure why this question pertains to “Orthodox Jews”, as opposed to all Jews. As an Orthodox Jew, I see each and every Halacha (matter of Jewish Law) as equally binding on every Jew, (except as described below) from the greatest saint or Rabbi, to the most ignorant and assimilated. We all have the same level of obligation without regard to whichever denomination we might choose to affiliate with, or no denomination at all. We are all equally Jewish and bound by our covenant at Sinai.
There are exceptions to what I said above, but not based on denomination. There are some mitzvoth that are only for women, and some that are only for men. There are some that apply only in the Land of Israel. And there are some that apply only to Kohanim or Leviim. While it may be argued that the more one holds oneself out as an observant Jew, the more that is expected of them, that is on the ethical and moral plain, not on the basic legal fact of obligation.
Having said that, I would like to address the question posed.
There is no prohibition whatsoever for any Jew to view a human brain.
There may be issues of whether it is appropriate for the museum to put it on display, not so much because there is anything wrong with its viewing by the public, but rather due to issues of Kovod HaMet, or respecting the dignity of the Dead. (For more reading about this very important topic, please see http://www.nasck.org/ ).
Among the most important rules regarding Kovod HaMet is the very strong insistence that, in virtually all cases, it is vital that the body be buried in its entirety, without missing any body parts. However, from the point of view of Halacha, this rule applies only to Jewish corpses. (The issue of organ donation, which in some cases may be an exception to this rule, is a controversial one in Halacha, and beyond the scope of this question.)
Thus, if the brain was from a non-Jewish person, there would be no reason that a museum could not put it on display for the very worthy objective of promoting science and public knowledge, as long as it done so with dignity and good taste.
The only remaining issue, as I see it, is whether it would be helpful for the Museum to notify Kohanim of the presence of this exhibit. Kohanim, after all, are prohibited from direct contact with a corpse, and are even prohibited from being in the same building as a corpse. (This actually makes my life – as a Rabbi and a Kohen – somewhat difficult, as visits to a hospital contain the very real possibility of being under the same roof as a body in the morgue.)
However, according to most authorities, while a Kohen may not touch a non-Jewish corpse or any removed body parts, a kohen may be under the same roof. (This is the leniency I rely on with hospital visits; I do not have to assume, unless I know otherwise, that there is a Jewish corpse in the morgue.)
Thus for our purposes, even a Kohen may view a brain inside a museum, unless he knows that in fact it is from a Jewish corpse.
Is the museum under any obligation to inform Kohanim that it contains an exhibit with a Jewish brain? Certainly, if there is a significant population of that observant Jews is likely to p[atronize the museum, it would be very helpful to sensitize the staff to the possibility of this question coming up, and to be able to state that there is no problem, as the brain is from a non-Jewish corpse.
Answered by: Rabbi Yehuda Leonard Oppenheimer