The collection's showcases

Establishment of the chemical collection at Hönggerberg

The establishment of a chemical collection was an initiative of the former head of the library of the then Department of Chemistry, Josef Meienberger, around the year 2000. The idea, a first exhibition and the following organizational steps, were continued together with Dr. Barbara Brauckmann (Public Relations until 2019).

During the move to the Hönggerberg, various devices, apparatus, reagents, dyes, photos and documents from the former chemical research laboratories were found in the cellars of the old chemistry building CAB at Universitätstrasse 6 in Zurich. These exhibits from the last century were sifted through, labeled and housed in the HCI auditorium building. Some of the items belonged to Nobel Prize-winning chemists Leopold Ruzicka (1887-1976), who was recognized for his work on polymethylenes and higher terpenes. Other exponats belonged to Vladimir Prelog (1906-1998), who explored the stereochemistry of enzyme-catalyzed reactions, and to Richard Ernst (b. 1933), who developed the methodology of high-resolution nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

The six display cases for the chemical collection were set up in spring 2005 by Prof. Dr. Detlef Günther and his working group, as well as by Dr. Otmar Dossenbach and Dr. Barbara Brauckmann.

Establishment of the pharmacognostic collection (Hartwich collection)

The pharmacognostic collection on stimulants and addictive substances was established about 100 years ago by Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Carl Hartwich. It was located both in Clausius-Strasse and on the Irchel campus and is now also located in the HCI. In the six display cases, approximately 500 instruments and objects for smoking tobacco, opium and hashish, chewing betel and coca, and drinking tea, coffee, cocoa, kawa, mate and sake are exhibited, together with interesting facts about their origin, history, use and effects.
The Hartwich collection was curated for many years by Prof. Dr. Otto Sticher, his wife Miriam and Regula Boeniger.