Museums of Psychiatry in Europe

In recent decades, motivated in part by the reform of Italy’s psychiatric assistance programs with the passage of Law no.180 in 1978, mental health issues have become a priority in the context of the public health strategies of the World Health Organization and the countries of the European Union. These strategies can be summarized in the following six points:
• increase national awareness of mental health problems, which are often ignored or undervalued (including in terms of financial resources for health care services);
• place human rights and citizenship at the center of governments’ public health improvement agendas;
• improve existing legislation;
• establish mental health policies and develop services with a strong community orientation;
• disseminate adequate technical knowledge not only among specialists (who are often nonexistent in poor countries) but among all health professionals;
• listen to the needs of users of mental health services and their families.

The struggle against the stigma of mental illness is the principal focus of action to promote mental health, which takes place primarily through dissemination of information. For this purpose, there are a number of museums throughout Europe that document the history of psychiatry and, more generally, the issue of mental health. These exhibitions offer an extraordinary communication opportunity to form alliances that promote programs about mental health, and can play a key role in making sure institutions do not lose sight of the real needs of society, encouraging the identification of new problems and, above all, new solutions.
The Museo Laboratorio della Mente  will participate in the construction of a European museum network to promote mental health, thus creating a framework for exchange and cooperation among member states of the European Union. This cooperation will make the activities of diverse political sectors more consistent and create a platform to involve concerned parties, including patient/family associations and civil society in the quest for answers.
On November 9 and 10, 2007, in Göppingen, Germany, at the MuSeele - Klinik Christophsbad, the First International Conference of Psychiatric Museums in Europe took place. The  II International Conference took place in Prague, Czech Republic , on October 29 – 31, 2009, at the Bohnice Psychiatric Hospital.

Below are the addresses of the psychiatric museums in Europe that appear in the guide  Verortungen der Seele / Locating the Soul by Rolf Bruggermann and Gisela Schimd-Krebs. The guide also includes descriptions of outsider art museums and collections, and exhibitions of Aktion T4, the extermination of disabled individuals enacted in Germany from 1939 to 1941. A copy of the memorial exhibition, curated by Michael Von Cranak and translated into Italian and English by the Agenzia per la Vita Indipendente Onlus is on permanent public display at the Center for Study and Research, on the first floor of Pavilion 26. Admittance is free when the center is open.

Austria
Vienna, Der Narrenturm
Vienna, Sigmund Freud Museum
Baden, Gall'sche Sammlung im Rollettmuseum

Belgium
Geel, Geeel
Gent, Museum Dr. Guislain

Denmark
Augustenborg, Psykiatrisk Museum
Middelfart, Den Psykiatrisk Samling
>Risskov, Museet Psykiatrisk Hospital Aarhus

France
Parigi, Musèe Sainte-Anne
Clermont Oisi, Musèe Henri Theillou
Musèe Virtuel du Centre Hospitalier Charcot

Finland
Mikkeli, Moision sairaalamuseo
Siilinjarvi, Harjamaen sairaalamuseo

Germany
Berlino, Berliner Medizinhistorisches Museum der Charité
Brandenburg an der Havel, Psychiatriemuseum des Asklepios Fachklinikums
Baruth/Mark, Psyche Museum für Psychotherapie
Bremen, Krankenhaus-Museum
Marburg, Wege und Ziele der Psychiatrie
Psychiatrie Museum Haina
Giessen, Vom Wert des Menschen
Herborn, Psychiatrie-Museum Herborn
Weilmünster, 100 Jahre Krankenhaus Weilmuünster
Bedhurg-Hau, Museum der Rheinischen Kliniken Bedfburg-Hau
Bonn, Museum Rheinische Kliniken Bonn
Warstein, Psychiatrie.Museum Warstein
Riedstadt, Psychiatriemuseum
Merzig, Saarländisches Psychiatriemuseum
Tübingen, Psychiatrielehrpfad Tübingen
Göppingen, MuSeele
Weinsberg, Kernerhaus
Kehl-Kork, Deutsches Epilepsiemuseum
Achern, Die Illenau
Freiburg, Institut für Grenzgebiete der Psychologie & Psychohygiene
Emmendingen, Psychiatrie-Museum
Haar, Psychiatrie-Museum
Zwiefalten, Württembergergisches Psychiatriemuseum
Passau, Museum für Geschichte der Psychologie
Leipzig, Sächsisches Psychiatriemuseum
Zschadrass, ort jenseits der strasse
Virtuelles Museum der Hypnose

Great Britain
Londra, Freud Museum
Kent, Bethlem Royal Hospital Archives & Museum

Italy
Roma , Museo Laboratorio della Mente
Reggio Emilia, Museo della psichiatra San Lazzaro
Venezia, Museo del Manicomio di San Servolo

Latvia
Jelgava, Gintermuiza Mental Hospital Museum

Netherlands
Haarlem, Het Dolhuys www.hetdolhuys.nl

Czech Republic
Praga, Pyschiatrickà lêčebna Bohnice

Romania
Beclean, Spitalul de Boli Psihice Cronice Borşa

Russia
Mosca, Muzej istorii Moskovskoj gorodskoj psichiatrič eskoj bol'nicy im N. A. Alekseeva
Mosca, Muzej evolucii mozga pri Nil mozga RAMN
Ryazan, Muzej Pavlov

Sweden
Göteburg, Medizinhistoriska museet & Psykiatrimuseet
Säter, Mentalvårdsmuseet

Switzerland
Berna, Psychiatrie-Museum
Rieden, Musée Bizarre
Zurigo, Medizinhistorisches Museum der Universitat