Thymus Gland Location. The thymus is a soft organ located behind the breastbone and between the lungs. In relation to the organs in the human body, the thymus is a two-lobed structure that lies almost on top of the heart and traces up along the trachea.
The thymus is a lymphoid gland comprised of two identically sized lobes, located behind the sternum (breastbone) but in front of the heart. It derives its name from a resemblance it bears to the bud of the thyme plant (thymus in Latin).
The thymus is in a part of the chest known as the mediastinum, the space in the chest between the lungs that also contains the heart, part of the aorta, the esophagus (the tube that connects the throat to the stomach), part of the trachea (windpipe), and many lymph nodes.