About the Wonders of Medicine exhibition

Fragility of Life starts at a human level that everyone can relate to. It’s all about people. Visitors can hear patients talk about what it’s like to live with diseases such as heart failure, breast cancer and malaria. They can also explore the workings of the human body’s vital organs and systems, as well as how illness can sometimes disrupt their smooth functioning.  

Future of Healthcare invites visitors to join virtual discussions with experts about the social and ethical implications of trends shaping the future of healthcare. There are three topics: access to medicine, genetic engineering and the digital revolution in healthcare. You can participate in the discussion and learn more about the perspectives of others. Visitors can also learn more about the three topics at interactive information stations.

From lab to patients follows the journey of a new drug from the earliest laboratory experiments all the way through research and development to reach patients. The journey is broken down into eight steps. Visitors can choose to follow the eight steps in three different manners. For instance, in a row of video windows along one wall, visitors can meet researchers, production technicians and other people involved in the creation of new innovative drugs. These people explain their day-to-day work and introduce visitors to some of the high-tech equipment they use. 

Steps through Time explores the history of medicine and the emergence of the pharmaceutical industry in Basel. Visitors can discover objects related to the history of Basel and Novartis. They can dive into the history of medicine, browsing a series of short films. Using an interactive city map, they can travel through time, tracing changes in the city of Basel from 1880 to the present day.