What do plants, animals, humans and cities have in common? They all have vascular systems and therefore an infrastructure without which they would not be able to survive.
In the human body, arteries and veins move the blood together with the heart. Plants have a finely branched vascular system for the transport of water and nutrients. And cities utilise an underground network of pipelines that supply clean water and remove waste water.
What can medicine learn from these natural and technical supply systems? What role does the interdisciplinary view - between biology, design, materials research and medical technology - play for regenerative medicine? And what innovative approaches can be derived from this for the development of artificial and bioartificial donor organs?
The exhibition provides insights into the work of designers, material scientists and surgical researchers who are working together on solutions for the future – inspired by nature, technology and the logic of living systems.
Discover how vessels shape life in all its forms!
The temporary exhibition »Vessels: Infrastructures of Life« is a collaboration of the Berlin Museum of Medical History and the Department of Experimental Surgery at the Charité with the Cluster of Excellence »Matters of Activity« at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin as part of the __matter Festival 2025.
With contributions by: Assal Daneshgar, Emile De Visscher, Frédéric Eyl, Karl Hillebrandt, Eriselda Keshi, Theresa Lohmann, Dietrich Polenz, Moritz Queisner, Iva Rešetar & Igor M. Sauer
Additional information
Opening Hours
Open on the following public holidays
Opening hours on public holidays correspond to regular opening hours.
Closing days
ADMISSION PRICES
Price: €10.00
Reduced price: €5.00
Reduced price info: The following persons are entitled to a reduced admission fee upon presentation of the relevant proof of eligibility:
- Pupils, students, trainees, persons doing voluntary service
- Pensioners
- People with disabilities (from GdB 50)
- People who receive transfer benefits (S-Ticket, unemployment benefit, citizen's benefit or benefits regulated by the Asylum-Seekers' Benefits Act)
- Charité employees with the corresponding ID cardMuseums Pass
- Members of Freundeskreis der Charité
- Stationary patients
Free admission:
- Holders of the Museumsbund or ICOM card
- Holders of a press card
- Members of the Friends of the Museum
- Students and apprentices of Charité
- Persons accompanying disabled persons (registered in disabled persons official certificate)
- Closed on Mondays
- Tues, Thurs, Fri, Sun 10am–5pm
- Wednesday, Sat 10am–7pm
Open on the following public holidays
Opening hours on public holidays correspond to regular opening hours.
- International Women's Day March 8th
- Good Friday, Easter Sunday, and Easter Monday
- 80th Anniversary of the Liberation from National Socialism May 8th
- Ascension Day
- Whit Sunday and Whit Monday
- German Unity Day October 3rd
Closing days
- Christmas Eve December 24th
- Christmas Day December 25th
- Boxing Day December 26th
- New Year's Eve December 31st
- New Year's Day January 1st
- Labor Day May 1st
ADMISSION PRICES
Price: €10.00
Reduced price: €5.00
Reduced price info: The following persons are entitled to a reduced admission fee upon presentation of the relevant proof of eligibility:
- Pupils, students, trainees, persons doing voluntary service
- Pensioners
- People with disabilities (from GdB 50)
- People who receive transfer benefits (S-Ticket, unemployment benefit, citizen's benefit or benefits regulated by the Asylum-Seekers' Benefits Act)
- Charité employees with the corresponding ID cardMuseums Pass
- Members of Freundeskreis der Charité
- Stationary patients
Free admission:
- Holders of the Museumsbund or ICOM card
- Holders of a press card
- Members of the Friends of the Museum
- Students and apprentices of Charité
- Persons accompanying disabled persons (registered in disabled persons official certificate)
Accessibility
The elevator is currently broken. Therefore, our permanent exhibition and the restrooms are unfortunately not wheelchair accessible.
