Exhibition: Vesuvius – Field research on a burning mountain

Explore the world of volcanoes and the history of volcanic research at the first guest exhibition from the Rare Books, which runs from 6 to 23 April 2021 in the Max Frisch Archive.

Gemälde vom Vesuv, der ausbricht mit Schaulustigen

Volcanoes like Mount Vesuvius have always fascinated and terrified people in equal measure. Immanuel Friedlaender, who would have turned 150 this year, was one of the most prominent promoters of volcanological research on Mount Vesuvius. The German-Swiss volcanologist founded a private volcanological institute in 1914 and published the first Volcanological review. When the institute was forced to stop pursuing its work due to the political situation in 1935, his library and collections were acquired by ETH Zurich.

Visit the exhibition from 6 to 23 April 2021 in the Max Frisch Archive.

In the guest exhibition in the Max Frisch Archive, the ETH Library will be exhibiting selected rare books on the research carried out on Mount Vesuvius since the 17th century. These include works from famous volcanologists such as Athanasius Kircher, William Hamilton and Luigi Palmieri. The exhibition also includes exhibits from the map collection, the Image Archive and the Max Frisch Archive. Most of the exhibits are part of the personal papers from the former Immanuel Friedländer volcano institute.

Key information: The exhibition is runs from 6 to 23 April 2021 in the Max Frisch Archive, and is open Monday to Friday from 10.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m.

Please note the information regarding the current opening hours of the ETH buildings and adhere to the applicable COVID-19 protective measures during your visit.

If you have any questions regarding the exhibition, please send an e-mail to .

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