Museum of the History of Medicine

The University of Zurich's Museum of the History of Medicine provides an overview of the development of medicine and the art of healing from prehistory up to today. The permanent exhibition displays a selection of the many objects in the Museum's overall collection. Visitors can compare old surgical techniques with the newest methods in anaesthesia, asepsis, x-rays and blood substitutes, and they can learn about surgical specialties or discover the fundamentals of anatomy and physiology. The Museum also shows the history of infectious diseases such as the Pest, leprosy, syphilis, smallpox, tuberculosis, polio and AIDS. Other topics include patient care and medication over the course of history.

Did you know?

The Museum is affiliated with the Institute of the History of Medicine which offers public lectures and workshops on the history of medicine and natural science. The Institute and Museum's library and archive (images, bequests, manuscripts) are open to the public.