Chemical Collection

Why are jeans blue? How did color chemistry become the cradle of the Swiss chemical and pharmaceutical industry? What is the background of the fragrances musk and civet? What does chirality mean and what did chemistry labs look like a 100 years ago?

Chemia ex machina: Goniometer Color chemistry - stories of indigo blue jeans and fuchsia red A. Eschenmoser (ETH) and R.B. Woodward succeeded in synthesizing vitamin B12 in 1972. Life and work of scientists at ETH Zurich Construction kit - learning chemistry in the 30s A foray through the chemistry laboratories of the last 150 years Books about tar and coal paints Chemia ex machina: there are many instruments in the collection, e.g. microscopes Chirality is one of the research areas of Nobel Prize winner Vladimir Prelog

Answers to these questions can be found in ETH Zurich’s Chemical Collection on the H floor of the HCI building. In addition to the work of Nobel Prize winners, the exhibition presents insights into the everyday life of scientists in the past, including historical instruments, and takes visitors on a journey into the fascinating world of fragrances, colors, and fabric patterns.

Creating artificial colors

Color pigments from Ciba-Geigy with color plates that can be seen in the collection — Color pigments from Ciba-Geigy with color plates

Learn about the chemistry behind Levi’s jeans, game-changing color stories, and colorful fabric pattern books from Adolf Jenny Trümpy. Discover more

From goniometer to NMR

75 Mhz NMR sample head that can be seen in the exhibition — 75 Mhz NMR sample head

Special historical devices that make small things visible, enabling researchers to make big research contributions. Discover more

The chemistry of fragrances

Bottles of fragrances and essences Naef & Co (Geneva) are part of the collection — Fragrances and essences Naef & Co (Geneva)

Chemical scent and perfume stories by and with Nobel Prize winner Leopold Ruzicka. Discover more