History of medicine in the Baroque Alte Anatomie of the former University of Ingolstadt – with a medicinal plant garden and café.
March 1, 2026 – December 31, 2026
A single display case presents a monthly changing selection of curious collection objects related to the body's excretions and secretions – from baby teeth and breast pumps to menstrual hygiene. The large annual exhibition has been postponed to spring 2027 for budget reasons.
The museum is housed in the Alte Anatomie (Old Anatomy), built by Gabriel de Gabrieli between 1723 and 1736 for the medical faculty of Ingolstadt's university. Dissections and lectures took place here, and students grew medicinal plants in the garden. When the university moved to Landshut in 1800, the building lost its purpose and went on to serve a wide variety of uses, at times even agricultural ones.
In 1973 the Deutsches Medizinhistorisches Museum was established on the initiative of the physician and medical historian Heinz Goerke, who also became its first director. The museum is run by the City of Ingolstadt. Today it includes a medicinal plant garden with around 200 healing plants and a scent and touch garden with raised beds. In 2016 an extension designed by Volker Staab was added, housing accessible entrances, special exhibition space, seminar rooms and offices.
After a complete redesign, the permanent exhibition in the Alte Anatomie reopened in October 2020 and received the Bavarian Museum Prize in 2021. The upper floor is devoted to 18th-century medicine centered on the former anatomy theater, while on the first floor 21 striking objects tell stories of modern medicine. The collection includes some 2,500 portraits of physicians as well as holdings on ophthalmology and otology, obstetrics and clinical chemistry. Marion Maria Ruisinger has directed the museum since 2008.
| Adults | €6 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €4University students over 22, people with a disability degree (GdB) of 50–90, retirees, unemployed people, recipients of social benefits |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 17 · Children and teens under 18 free |
| Seniors | €4Reduced admission for retirees |
| Visitors with disabilities | €4Reduced with a disability degree (GdB) of 50–90; free admission from GdB 100 |
| Students & apprentices | €4University students up to age 22 free |
| Groups | –Guided tours for groups of up to 20 people: 60 min. €80, 90 min. €120 per group; garden tours 60 min. €80; book via online form. School and kindergarten groups with their supervisors free. |
| Combination ticket for six Ingolstadt museums | €12reduced €8 |
| Gin-tasting garden tour (group, 75 min.) | €138per group, bottle included |
| Herbal bitters garden tour (group, 75 min.) | €118per group, bottle included |
No admission charge for the medicinal plant garden and café. Free admission also for ICOM and DMB members and holders of the Bayerische Ehrenamtskarte (Bavarian volunteer card).
Museum and medicinal plant garden are accessible (via the extension). Wheelchairs and rollators can be borrowed free of charge; baby changing table available. Scent and touch garden with 46 medicinal plants in raised beds with knee clearance for wheelchair users, signage in Braille and raised lettering, tactile garden maps (swell paper) and a free audio guide with directions for blind and visually impaired visitors. Public guided tours occasionally with sign language interpretation (dates in the calendar). Accessible parking space at Anatomiestraße 24.
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 17 |
|---|
Children and teens up to and including age 18 have free admission. Occasional family tours through the permanent exhibition with objects to touch; fragrance and touch garden with raised beds that can be rolled under.
Taschenturm (Jahnstraße) · 3-min walk
VGI buses to the Taschenturm stop (Jahnstraße, approx. 3 minutes on foot), Universität/Kreuztor (approx. 8 minutes) or Rathaus (approx. 10 minutes).
Parking available
Hallenbad parking lot on Jahnstraße; accessible parking at Anatomiestraße 24 near the museum.
Café hortus medicus in the garden: April–October 10:00–17:00, November and March 1–19 13:00–17:00, closed December through February.
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 60 min |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes |
| School programs | yes |
| Photography | Photography without flash or tripod allowed for private purposes; commercial photography only with written permission. |
| Good to know | "Mittagsvisite" (lunchtime rounds): free half-hour short tour every Tuesday at 12:30 without registration, once a month in the garden during the warm months. Audio guide to the permanent exhibition with stories of 18th-century patients. Group tours also on "Victor Frankenstein & die Anatomie" as well as garden tours on changing themes. Group tours usually last 60 minutes, 75 minutes with a tasting, and 90 minutes as a detailed museum tour. |
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