Special Exhibitions
The special exhibitions of the Museum of the University of Tübingen deal with changing topics and offer comprehensive information and background. Depending on what is on offer, they can also be visited in addition to the permanent exhibitions.
The Pianoforte Age. Music and Modernity Before the Modern Piano
May 5th to September 13th, 2026
Instrumental studies have long been a key focus of the Institute of Musicology at the University of Tübingen. In addition to its own collection of wind instruments, which is on permanent display in the foyer of the Pfleghof, the institute uses historical keyboard instruments as teaching aids. Anders Musken’s project seminar has produced an exhibition that sheds new light on the institute’s harpsichords, table pianos and fortepianos, alongside instruments from Anders Musken’s private collection.
What remains. Evamarie Sander's life, family and research
July 23rd to November 15th, 2026
The exhibition showcases a curated selection from the estate of Evamarie Sander (1928–2023), a plant pathologist and the first female professor at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at the University of Tübingen. The objects on display include furniture, household items, books, photo albums, clothing, jewellery, and art and ethnographic pieces from her home in Unterjesingen. The presentation makes Sander's world tangible within the museum while asking what remains of a life when it is told primarily through objects. The contextual section surrounding the core of the exhibition encourages visitors to reflect how they would approach their own estate by posing reflective questions.
Dirty Science – Höhlensedimente als Archive der Vergangenheit
April 17th to November 29th, 2026
The ‘dirt’ in the caves tells a story: the ‘Dirty Science’ exhibition demonstrates how sediments can act as archives of the past. Microscopic traces, pollen and ancient DNA reveal who used the Swabian Alb caves and how the environment and climate have changed over time. Interactive displays offer insights into research and excavation, revealing what has remained hidden for millennia.
The Tears of Trees
March 8th, 2026 to February 28th, 2027
A wide variety of plants all over the world produce resins, gums and latex to protect themselves from injury or defend against predators and pathogens. The areas of application for these valuable plant substances are just as diverse: they can be used as adhesives or sealants, in surface treatment or varnishing, in oil painting, as incense (such as frankincense and myrrh), as flavouring in retsina, or as fragrance in perfumes or medicines.
The exhibition „The Tears of Trees. Resins, gums and their stories" showcases the diversity of resins, gums, and milky juices, exploring their origins and their presence in modern-day life. A scent memory game allows visitors to experience the aromas of the resins and their use in perfumes.
Anatomy Unbound
April 17th, 2023 to December 31st, 2027 (extended)
This exhibition was developed in three research projects by students of history and medicine under the direction of PD Dr. Henning Tümmers and Leonie Braam, M.A. (Institute for Ethics and History of Medicine) and Prof. Dr. Benigna Schönhagen and Stefan Wannenwetsch, M.A. (Grave Field X Project at the Institute for Historical Geography and Ancillary Historical Sciences). The interdisciplinary project is being developed in cooperation with Prof. Dr. Bernhard Hirt (Institute for Clinical Anatomy and Cell Analysis) and Prof. Dr. Ernst Seidl (Museum of the University of Tübingen MUT).