Bochum, Kunstsammlungen der Ruhr-Universität
The Medical History Collection of Ruhr University Bochum (=RUB) has more than 10,000 objects from the entire spectrum of medical technology. Most of the exhibits date from the 19th and 20th centuries, but some are considerably older. The collection also includes a number of important non-technical items. These include numerous bequests and special collections, such as the Vester medal and coin collection (1,600 objects). The collection is affiliated with the Institute for Medical Ethics and History of Medicine at RUB.The foundation for the collection was laid in the 1970s by Erich Püschel (1904–1991), a professor of pediatrics and adolescent medicine in Bochum. When the collection was taken over by the Institute for the History of Medicine, newly established in 1985 and headed by Prof. Dr. Irmgard Müller (1938–2025), the scientific processing of the collection began. In 1990, a large part of the collection moved to the newly renovated and expanded former Julius Philipp winding tower.In 2001, PD Dr. Stefan Schulz took over as curator of the Medical History Collection. In 2012, the Bochum Network of Scientific Collections was established, with the Medical History Collection of the RUB among its founding members. Information on current projects can be found on the collection's website at mhs-rub.de.Lit.: K. König, Cinderellas Geburt: Sammlungsgründungen an medizinhistorischen Abteilungen und Instituten deutscher Universitäten im 20. und 21. Jahrhundert (2014) 85-100.