Chemical and Pharmacognostic Collection

Sample page from "Blauholz – Färbeartikel im Aufdruckverfahren im 19. Jahrhundert" by A. Jenny Trümpy Color chemistry books and coloring agents Glass containers with mixtures of aromatic substances Opium pipes made of different materials Small bottles for sake

Equipment, specimens, books and documents on the history of chemistry and pharmaceutics at the Federal Polytechnic School and later ETH Zurich can be viewed in a permanent exhibition.

Extent

12 display cases containing around 1,000 exhibits
Garden with around 200 species of medicinal plants and information on the active ingredients

Holdings

Stimulant and addictive substances, spices, facsimiles of ancient herbal books
Reagents, coloring agents, old measurement equipment for analysis and synthesis
Photo albums, books, documents

Relevance of research and Public

The pharmacognostic "Hartwich-Sammlung" provides an impression of research topics on objects such as tobacco, opium, betel, coca, tea, cocoa, coffee, mate or sake, the majority of which come from overseas.

The exhibits in the Chemical Collection convey a sense of student life and the laboratory atmosphere over the last 150 years, as well as the research activities of ETH Zurich’s three Nobel laureates.

The collection is located in the HCI building, floor H (Foyer), Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 10, 8093 Zurich.

Medicinal plant garden

The study of officinal medicinal and poisonous plants of the medicinal plant garden is part of the pharmaceutics degree.

Current activities, projects

Contact

Julia Ecker

Phone +41 44 632 60 81

Opening hours

The display case rooms can be accessed during the building's opening times:
Mon– Fri: 8.00–18.00

The outdoor area is permanently accessible

Collection location

Building HCI
Floor H (Foyer)
Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 10
8093 Zurich