Musée de la main UNIL-CHUV

What Musée de la main UNIL-CHUV does

Musée de la main UNIL-CHUV is a non-profit scientific and cultural mediation museum located on the CHUV-UNIL campus in Lausanne, Switzerland. Founded in 1997 under the Fondation Claude Verdan (established 1981 by hand-surgery pioneer Professor Claude Verdan), the museum is dedicated to the intersection of the human body, medicine, science, and society. It operates a permanent collection of more than 1,600 hand-related objects alongside a rotating program of temporary immersive exhibitions — currently 'INVISIBLES. La vie cachée des microbes' (running 2024–August 2026 in collaboration with NCCR Microbiomes) — and is developing a 2027 exhibition on human senses with The Sense research center.

The museum serves three primary visitor segments: families with children (weekend visits, game-based parcours, birthday parties), school groups (free for Vaud public schools; paid workshops and guided tours for others), and the general public (general admission, guided tours, conference cycles). Revenue is generated through modest per-visitor admission fees (CHF 12 adult / CHF 7 reduced / free for children under 7 and Vaud public schools), school programs (CHF 80/class for workshops), birthday party packages (CHF 180), a 110 m² on-site café (Café de la main) offering both food/beverage sales and venue rental for events, and merchandise (catalogs CHF 0–45, educational games CHF 20–30, including the Bacttle board game and Krobs card games co-developed with researchers). The core technology consists of hands-on, interactive physical exhibitions, with a free mobile educational video game ('Microbiomes') co-developed in 2022 as an out-of-venue extension.

The institution is governed by the Fondation Claude Verdan with representation from UNIL and CHUV on its Direction Board. It is led by Director Olivier Glassey (sociologist, appointed July 2015) and Deputy Director Carolina Liebling (with the museum since 1999). Operations are supported by a small core team of approximately 11 staff supplemented by 6 auxiliary reception agents. Marketing is conducted through the museum website, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook, plus segmented email newsletters. The museum is funded by a mix of earned revenue, institutional support from UNIL and CHUV, and grants from partners including Loterie Romande, Fondation H. Dudley Wright, Fondation Leenaards, and the Canton de Vaud. It does not have venture capital, private equity, or public shareholders.

Name

Musée de la main UNIL-CHUV

Legal name

Musée de la main UNIL-CHUV

Website

https://museedelamain.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Musée de la main UNIL-CHUV is a non-profit scientific and cultural mediation museum in Lausanne, Switzerland, serving families, school groups, and the general public with immersive temporary exhibitions, hands-on educational programs, and a permanent collection of hand-related objects on the CHUV-UNIL campus.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Science Museum / Cultural Mediation

NAICS

Museums (71211), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Science & Technology Museums (THAJADAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hands-on Science Exploration & Experiments (Lab Kits, Science Clubs) (EDAMABAA), Museum, Zoo & Attraction Gift Shops (CRALAJAG)

Keywords

• Science museum services
• Cultural mediation programs
• Scientific exhibitions
• Educational workshops
• Museum venue rental

Headquarters

HQ city

Lausanne

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Museum Admissions: The museum generates revenue through individual and group admission fees. Individual tickets are priced at CHF 12 for adults, CHF 7 for reduced rates, with free entry for children under 7 and Vaud public schools. Family packages and group rates are also available.
2. Café de la main: The museum operates an on-site café offering coffees, teas, local fruit juices, and refreshments. The café is available to visitors during museum hours and can also be rented for private events.
3. Café Rental: The Café de la main (110 m2) can be rented for meetings, conferences, colloquia, and other events. Rental includes basic technical infrastructure (projector, microphone). Event participants receive discounted admission to the current exhibition.
4. Publications and Merchandise: The museum sells publications including exhibition catalogs, guides, and books ranging from free to CHF 45. Educational games and merchandise such as Bacttle board game (CHF 20) and Krobs card games (CHF 30) are also available for purchase.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Musée de la main UNIL-CHUV operates a science and cultural-mediation museum at the CHUV-UNIL campus in Lausanne, generating revenue from admissions to temporary immersive exhibitions, school and group workshops, on-site café sales, venue rental, and merchandise/publications. Its primary offerings center on temporary exhibitions exploring science, medicine, and society (current: INVISIBLES on microbiology), accompanied by school programs, family activities, educational games, and an on-site café.

Product overview

Musée de la main UNIL-CHUV is a scientific and cultural mediation museum offering a portfolio of interconnected cultural products and services. The core offering centers on temporary immersive exhibitions exploring themes at the intersection of science, medicine, and society, with the current exhibition 'INVISIBLES' focused on microbiology. The museum complements exhibitions with educational publications (catalogs and guides), educational games including the Microbiomes video game, Bacttle board game, and Krobs/MyKrobs card games, school programs with workshops and guided visits, venue rental services through Café de la main, and birthday party packages. The museum serves as an institutional cultural center operated by Université de Lausanne and CHUV in partnership with Fondation Claude Verdan.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• INVISIBLES. La vie cachée des microbes (Immersive Exhibition) Temporary immersive exhibition exploring the world of microorganisms, covering topics from soil to oceans, air, plants, and the human body. Open to general public, families, and school groups.
• Scientific Publications

Quantifiable outcome

• Free admission for all Vaud public school groups
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and major.

• Matsudo International Science Art FestivalminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025The INVISIBLES exhibition will be presented as a traveling exhibition and satellite presentation at the Matsudo International Science Art Festival in Japan (October 2025), in collaboration with the Tokyo Office of Science and Technology and the Swiss Embassy.
• PRN Microbiomes (Pôle de recherche national Microbiomes)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Collaborative partner for the INVISIBLES exhibition on microbiology. The National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) Microbiomes, funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation, provides scientific content and research collaboration for the exhibition.
• The SensemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024The museum is partnering with The Sense innovation and research center for the upcoming 2027 exhibition on human senses. This is a significant upcoming collaboration for a major immersive exhibition.
• KoboldgamesmajorTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2022Developed the Microbiomes video game in collaboration with PRN Microbiomes. The educational game about bacteria and viruses was a finalist at the Swiss Game Awards 2022 and won the Lighthouse Award for Scientific Communication and Outreach in 2024.
• UNIL (Université de Lausanne)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNIL is a core institutional partner of the museum. The museum is located on the UNIL campus and the Direction Board includes UNIL representatives. UNIL provides academic credibility and access to researchers for exhibition development.
• CHUV (Centre hospitalier universitaire vaudois)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCHUV is a core institutional partner. The museum is located within the CHUV-UNIL campus. The Direction Board includes CHUV representatives. The partnership provides access to medical expertise and healthcare professionals.
• Fondation Claude VerdancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded by Professor Claude Verdan (1909-2006), pioneer of hand surgery in Switzerland, the foundation established the museum in 1997. The foundation owns the collection and supports the museum through the Foundation Council.
• HackuariumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerScience outreach association that democratizes science. They run workshops at the museum, including the Living Instruments V2 project presented during Museum Night 2025.
• Prof. Gilbert GreubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPhysician at the Institute of Microbiology, CHUV-UNIL, who initiated the Krobs and MyKrobs educational card games about microbiology and public health.
• mudac (Musée de design et d'arts appliqués contemporains)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on the 'Quel flair! Odeurs et sentiments' exhibition (2019-2020) with mudac's 'Nez à nez. Parfumeurs contemporains' exhibition, creating a joint cultural experience.
• Service Culture & Médiation Scientifique (SCMS), UNILminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural mediation partner providing resources and collaboration for science communication activities.
• L'éprouvette (Le Laboratoire Sciences et Culture, UNIL)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerScience outreach laboratory at UNIL that collaborates on exhibition activities and programs.
• Haute école spécialisée de la Suisse italienne (SUPSI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner institution contributing to cultural mediation activities.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Science Museum (London): Major London science museum with deep permanent galleries, temporary exhibitions, and learning programs; a larger international incumbent in the same science-museum category.
• Exploratorium: San Francisco-based interactive science museum renowned for hands-on exhibits and educator resources; a broader international peer in science communication and informal learning.
• Deutsches Museum: One of the world's largest science and technology museums in Munich, with deep collections, temporary exhibitions, and education programs; a broader incumbent in the same science-museum category.
• Universcience: French public operator of the Palais de la Découverte and Cité des Sciences; broader institutional science-communication peer serving families and schools with temporary exhibitions and educational content.

Direct peers

• Palais de la Découverte: Historic Paris science museum inside Universcience focused on hands-on demonstrations and exhibitions at the intersection of science and society; directly comparable thematic positioning.
• Alimentarium: Vevey-based food and nutrition museum operated by Nestlé; comparable in scale, single Swiss location, and thematic focus on science of the human body, also offering school workshops, a café, and temporary exhibitions.
• Swiss Science Center Technorama: Large interactive science museum in Winterthur with hands-on exhibits; directly comparable as a Swiss science-mediation venue with school programs, family activities, and temporary exhibitions.
• Museo Nazionale della Scienza e della Tecnologia Leonardo da Vinci: Milan science and technology museum combining permanent collections, temporary exhibitions, hands-on labs, and school programs; closely comparable as a European science-mediation museum with an educational mission.

Regional players

• Verkehrshaus Schweiz (Swiss Museum of Transport): Lucerne-based Swiss cultural and leisure attraction combining museum, IMAX, and educational experiences; comparable as a Swiss institutional museum operator with diversified on-site revenue streams and school programming.
• musée de design et d'arts appliqués contemporains (mudac): Lausanne-based design museum that has previously collaborated with the Musée de la main on joint exhibitions; a regional Lausanne peer in the cultural-mediation space with similar school and event programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/museedelamain
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mus%C3%A9edelamain
• Instagraminstagram.com/musee_de_la_main

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Musée de la main UNIL-CHUV