Free Skin Disease Museum in Zurich
4 Jan 2023 by Amby
The Moulagen museum, hosted by the University of Zurich, has been on my to-do list for a while, but I heard displays were only in German so I needed a German speaker to come with me. When Bry, a German speaker and a man of science, was in town, we decided to check it out.
To my delight they did offer an English-language guide, and I was amazed at the detail and technical artistry of the wax molds—called moulages—depicting real-life skin diseases.
The museum is located inside a room of a bigger building of the University Hospital of Zurich. One person was working the desk and noticed Bry and I speaking English, so offered us the English guide, which was very helpful!
The moulages were created from the 19th to 20th century as a learning tool for medical students using wax mold and painting techniques.
The results are graphic and life-like, some showing diseases that were common in the early 20th century but are fortunately very rare nowadays.
There are hundreds of moulages on display and the guide is well-written and informative.
Due to the free admission, educational value, and central location, we give the museum 5 snacks!
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