About us

Why does your heart beat? How does a wound heal? What makes us human? Who cares for you? At Vesalius Museum, we make care visible and science tangible. Many centuries after Andreas Vesalius, we still dare to cut straight through the layers of social debate.

You’re not a spectator. You’re a human being, researcher and care provider all at once. This is where the surgeon of 500 years ago speaks to the robot surgeon of today. This is where visitors ask the same questions as the experts.

We believe in science that remains accessible, care that connects, art that moves and stories that heal. Care, science and humanity breathe together here, and you inhale a story that is still growing.

The museum is housed in the historical spaces of the Theatrum and Laboratory. This makes Vesalius Museum a place where the past and future engage in conversation. Here the human face of care is revealed, and science doesn’t wear a white coat.

We stand for a many-faceted way of learning: with the head, heart and senses. Our aim is greater than a museum. We are creating a movement of inquiring people who dare to ask questions about their body, their care, their future. A movement that moves people and brings them together in their humanity.

Vesalius Museum is an initiative by KU Leuven and UZ Leuven. The name refers to the 16th century scientist Andreas Vesalius, the pioneer of modern anatomy. He dissected bodies himself and called established ideas into question. That critical mind lives on in the museum. 

KU Leuven contributes knowledge from various disciplines, ranging from biomedical sciences and technology to history, culture and society. KU Leuven’s scientific collections form an important basis for the museum. UZ Leuven connects this broad perspective to day-to-day care practices: the experiences of patients and carers, the knowledge of doctors and researchers, and the latest developments in care. There is also a place in the museum for the hospital’s collection of heritage items, the Histaruz collection. 

Together, KU Leuven and UZ Leuven make Vesalius Museum a place where you can consider care from every angle. Human, scientific, and always with space for new questions.