The human hand is a fabulous instrument for gripping and handling. Because of this, man has gained the ability to materialize ideas originating in his head. The hand is the cornerstone of culture, and as a basic characteristic of humans, it has ensured the success of our species. In short, this was the belief of Professor Claude Verdan (1909-2006), a specialist known around the world for reconstructive surgery of the hand and founder of the Clinique de Longeraie in Lausanne. He reached a ripe old age and created the foundation that bears his name which, in 1997 near the Hôpital Cantonal Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV), presided over the creation of a hand museum, which has developed over the years to become a cultural centre dedicated to the hand, science and medicine in general.
Exploration by the senses
Since its opening, the museum has featured an exhibition devoted to the human hand, and two to four times a year, a temporary exhibition on topics relating to the human body and to medicine. Among others: “From kissing to babies – seduction games at the birth of children” and “Flesh, interior journeys – sensory, intellectual and playful journeys inside our bodies”.
Each exhibition includes a full educational portfolio, consistent with the Verdan Foundation’s desire to be a learning centre for children, particularly school groups. Instructional “youth workshops” provide scientific information that is accessible to children 9 and older on topics that are far from simple including: “Brains make huge mistakes”, which explains how our brains can easily be tricked due to the thin line that separates illusion from reality.
