African Fertility Dolls Fertility dolls are ritual and symbolic objects associated with fertility, motherhood and the transmission of life. Found in a wide variety of forms across several regions of Africa, they are generally represented as female figures with simplified or stylised features. The body is often elongated or schematically rendered, sometimes emphasising attributes associated…
DetailsBelgian Red Cross First-Aid Kit Belgium, 1950, leather, plant fibre, metal, glass, paper This leather bag, bearing the Red Cross emblem on its flap, could be carried over the shoulder and contained the basic pharmaceutical supplies needed to treat minor accidents. Wounds could be disinfected and dressed, and a tourniquet could be applied. Some of…
DetailsQabqab (women’s hammam clogs) Tunisia, early 20th century Wood and hammered silver Qabqab are hammam clogs with raised soles, traditionally worn by women in the Ottoman and North African worlds. They were designed to protect the feet from water, dampness and slippery bath floors, but could also become prestigious objects. When decorated with precious materials,…
DetailsThis botchio/bocio (a powerful protective fetish), created by the Fon culture, is associated with the cult of Heviosso/Hêbiosso, the Vodun deity of thunder, fire and justice. A major figure in the Dahomean pantheon, Heviosso is regarded as the guarantor of divine justice. He is believed to strike with lightning those guilty of lying, betrayal or…
DetailsGood news! Following the great success of our spring activity “Mystery Images”, we have decided to extend the experience until the end of summer 2026! Join us with your family to search for clues, observe the artworks carefully, and answer the quiz specially designed for children. Activity hours • Weekdays: from 9am to 3pm maximum…
DetailsLate opening at the Museum of Medicine! On May 21, the Museum of Medicine will open its doors in the evening from 6 PM to 10 PM Discover the collections in a whole new atmosphere—immersive and unique! May 21 6 PM — 10 PM Museum of Medicine An experience not to be missed… where science…
DetailsOil lamp (mid-2nd century – mid-3rd century) – Terracotta This is a closed vessel decorated with a band of egg-and-dart motif, featuring two filling holes and a heart-shaped nozzle. The fuel used for this type of lamp could be animal fat, vegetable oil, or mineral oil. The central medallion of this lamp probably depicts Apollo…
DetailsObject of the month Lucy, Anarcha, and Betsy were three Black women enslaved in the 19th century whose bodies were used as experimental subjects by Dr. J. Marion Sims, long presented as the “father of gynecology.” Without their consent and without anesthesia, they endured dozens of experimental surgeries intended to treat obstetric fistulas. These experiments…
DetailsThe goddess Cybele is not strictly a goddess of medicine, but she is linked to health through her role as a great mother goddess (Magna Mater) associated with fertility, protection of the body, and the cycles of life. In antiquity, these domains were closely connected to healing. Her cult was introduced into Rome during a…
DetailsObject of the month From the 19th century, many doctors warned of the dangers of alcohol, which were henceforth recognised as applying to all alcoholic beverages, as indicated in the Larousse illustré of 1924. In France, the State committed itself relatively late to combating alcoholism, notably through the law of January 1873, known as the…
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