Rudolf Virchow (1821–1902) was a polymath who revolutionized medicine with his theory of , famously stating omnis cellula e cellula (every cell originates from another cell). Beyond his scientific breakthroughs, Virchow was a passionate collector. His "Pathological Museum," founded in 1899, originally housed over 23,000 specimens used for teaching and public education.
Following the Charité’s Digital Library initiatives , much of the historical material is being digitized to allow global access to researchers while preserving fragile physical originals. Visiting and Access virchow bibliothek
His book collection includes:
The library operates as a service-oriented facility, moving beyond the traditional role of book storage. : The library supports researchers with the "Green
| Detail | Info | |--------|------| | | Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Old Campus building, 2nd floor | | Opening hours | Mon–Fri 9:00–20:00 (special collections by appointment) | | Access | Free entry for reading room; borrowing requires Charité ID | | Highlight | Ask for Sammlung Virchow – original microscope used by Virchow on display nearby in the Pathological Museum (closed for renovation until 2025, check status) | Following the Charité’s Digital Library initiatives
The Virchow Bibliothek is more than a storage facility; it is a "Third Place" for the academic community at CVK.
: The library supports researchers with the "Green Route" to Open Access, allowing for the secondary publication of scientific articles in repositories like Refubium.