Welcome

The University of Zurich’s Medical Collection is one of the most significant in Europe. More than 20’000 objects are currently being inventoried and prepared for scientific research. The collection focuses on medical instruments and equipment for diagnosis and therapy.

The Zurich collection’s high coverage of the 19^th century and exemplary pieces from the 17^th and 18^th centuries set it apart from other similar collections. The surgical, obstetrical, ophthalmological and orthopaedic subcollections are especially extensive. Further highlights include instruments and equipment used for research and surgery by important doctors of the University of Zurich and the surrounding region, as well as devices and remedies used in alternative medicine.

We became part of the Institute of Evolutionary Medicine (IEM) in August 2016. At the same time, our establishment for scientific exchange between museums, teaching and research was launched first at our facility in Schlieren and is since 2024 in the new collections center in Buchs ZH.

We are a member of the Swiss Museums Association and commit to the ICOM Code of Ethics for Museums.

We continue the collection of the former Institute and Museum of Medical History and we are listed as an A-object in the Swiss Inventory of Cultural Property of National Significance (Edition 2021, PDF p. 409).

Closely linked to the Medical Collection is the Human Remains Collection of the Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, one of the few collections of historical human remains in Switzerland. It consists of around 20,000 objects and specimens of human origin, mostly of Swiss provenance: dry and wet specimens and bones from pathology and forensic medicine, tissue samples and a small group of mummies.

Medical Collection
University of Zurich

Institute of Evolutionary Medicine
Furtbachstrasse 22    Google Maps
CH - 8107 Buchs ZH
Telefon +41 44 635 05 62

Email: medicalcollection@iem.uzh.ch