Berlin Museum of Medical History (Medizinhistorisches Museum)

The basics

Visitors to the museum can trace 300 years of medical history from primitive early treatments and procedures through the evolution of modern medicine. Discover the vast collection of anatomical specimens; visit the anatomical theater, medical research laboratories, and dissecting room; and follow the stories of 10 different patients spanning three centuries. The accounts, including a complicated birth in the 18th century and a 21st-century patient with sepsis, provide fascinating insight into medical interventions over the years.

Things to know before you go

• There is a small admission fee to visit the museum, and English-language audio guides are available for an extra cost. If you don’t opt for the audio guide, be aware that only some of the exhibitions have descriptions in English.

• The museum contains displays of diseased organs, fetuses, and rare medical conditions that some visitors may find disturbing. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult, and parental discretion is advised.

• No photography is allowed within the museum.

• The museum is accessible for wheelchairs and strollers.

How to get there

The Berlin Museum of Medical History is located at Charitéplatz 1, about a 3-minute walk from Berlin Central Station (Hauptbahnhof). Several S-Bahn, tram, and bus lines run to the train station from all over the city. On arrival, cross the bridge over the canal and follow Alexanderufer to reach the museum entrance.

When to get there

The Berlin Museum of Medical History is open from Tuesday through Sunday and is closed on Mondays. It rarely gets overcrowded, but the quietest times to visit are on weekdays, close to opening or closing time. Check the museum’s website for opening hours before planning your visit.

Rudolf Virchow’s anatomical collection

The museum’s exhibitions are based almost entirely on the personal collections of German pathologist Rudolf Virchow. Among the approximately 750 anatomical specimens on display are a collection of brains showing the various stages of tumors, a heart that has undergone a quadruple bypass operation, an iron lung, and a skull infected with syphilis. Many healthy organs are also displayed for comparison.