One of Europe's largest anatomical collections, at the Institute of Anatomy of the University of Halle – visits only on a pre-booked guided tour, ages 16 and up.
Through October 15, 2026
Photo exhibition with artistic images of specimens from the collection; on view for the last time on October 15, 2026, from 11:00 to 16:00 in the chapel of the Steintor medical campus (Magdeburger Straße), free admission.
The foundation of the collections was laid by Johann Friedrich Meckel the Elder (1724–1774) in Berlin in the mid-18th century. His son Philipp Friedrich Theodor Meckel brought the private collection of specimens with him when he was appointed to Halle and expanded it to around 3,500 pieces, which were kept in the family home, the so-called Riesenhaus. After his death in 1803, he himself became a specimen in accordance with his will: his skeleton still stands in a cabinet in the collection today.
Johann Friedrich Meckel the Younger (1781–1833), founder of developmental pathology, enlarged the holdings to some 12,000 specimens, focusing on malformations and comparative anatomy. In 1836 his widow sold the collection to the University of Halle. Parts were lost in later relocations, while new anatomical and anthropological objects were added, as was the Wilhelm Roux Collection on developmental mechanics.
Today the Meckel Collections comprise around 8,000 specimens and are used for teaching and research at the Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology of Martin Luther University on Große Steinstraße. Since 2015 they have been registered as cultural property of national importance; a friends' association founded in 2007 supports their preservation and the guided tours.
| Adults | €10 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €3Students of other faculties and universities, apprentices, school students |
| Children & teens | –Admission only from age 16. |
| Seniors | –No senior discount listed. |
| Visitors with disabilities | –No discount listed. |
| Students & apprentices | €3Students of the Faculty of Medicine (including supervisors) free. |
| Groups | –Group prices by arrangement; max. 20 people. |
Tour fees charged by the friends' association. Some special tours (e.g., for World Anatomy Day) are free of charge.
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Only partly suitable for kidsRecommended for ages 16+
Anatomical collection; tours only from age 16.
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | According to the event calendar, tours last about 90 minutes; limited number of participants. |
All 17 museums in Halle (Saale) All museums in Saxony-Anhalt
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