fb mendel Twitter web Youtube
logo MZM

MENDELIANUM - Attractive World of Genetics
The modern museum of J.G. Mendel with a long tradition, strong historical roots and rich scientific research environment.
Mendelianum is located in authentic premises of Mendel´s scientific society in the historical heart of Brno.

logo Mendelianum2

Visitor centre MENDELIANUM

Slide background

Visitor centre MENDELIANUM

Slide background
Slide background

The Mendelianum Committee of the Moravian Museum

Mendel averz medal web

will award to 2024 Mendel Memorial Medal

to Daniel L. Hartl for his contribution to the development of Gregor Mendel's legacy and the interpretation of his scientific work.

The medal, which is awarded annually, recognizes significant contributions to the advancement of Mendel’s scientific and cultural legacy.

Daniel L. HartlDaniel L. Hartl (born 1943) is the Higgins Professor of Biology in the Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University. He also is a Past President of the Genetics Society of America and the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution, and very well known as a population geneticist. He has authored more than 400 scientific articles and more than 35 books in various aspects of genetics and evolution.

Daniel L. Hartl worked extensively with Vítězslav Orel (former head of the Mendelianum in 1965-1989) on countering some of the revisionist history of Mendel in the 1990s, especially in response to R. C. Olby’s publications. He recently published an article on Mendel in 2022, and published others in previous years. The awarding of the Mendel Memorial Medal is a tribute to his dedication and achievements in this field.

Here is a selection of some of his key publications on Mendel:

Hartl D. L. (2022). Gregor Johann Mendel: From peasant to priest, pedagogue, and prelate. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 119(30), e2121953119. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2121953119

Franklin, A., Edwards, A. W. F., Fairbanks, D. J., Hartl, D, L. & Seidenfeld, T. (2008). Ending the Mendel-Fisher Controversy. University of Pittsburgh Press. https://upittpress.org/books/9780822959861/

Hartl, D. L., & Fairbanks, D. J. (2007). Mud sticks: on the alleged falsification of Mendel's data. Genetics, 175(3), 975–979. https://doi.org/10.1093/genetics/175.3.975

Orel, V., & Hartl, D. L. (1994). Controversies in the Interpretation of Mendel’s Discovery. History and Philosophy of the Life Sciences, 16(3), 423–464. http://www.jstor.org/stable/23331700

Hartl, D. L., & Orel, V. (1992). What did Gregor Mendel think he discovered? Genetics, 131(2), 245–253. https://doi.org/10.1093/genetics/131.2.245

The Mendel Memorial Medal is a unique annual award given to an internationally recognized figure for his or her contribution to the scientific and cultural legacy of Gregor Mendel and genetics. Past recipients of this award have included Nobel prize winners, outstanding researchers, pioneers in genetics, molecular biology, and the history of biology and genetics, as well as other eminent scientists. Last year saw the thirtieth anniversary of the start of the award. Its origin, however, goes back much deeper and is firmly linked to the tradition of developing Mendel’s scientific legacy at the Mendelianum of the Moravian Museum in Brno. 

INTERNATIONAL MENDEL DAY 2023
www.keygene.com/mendel-day-2023 

 

The MENDELIANUM is an interactive museum and centre of J. G. Mendel founded at a strong historical basis and equipped with many modern components. The Mendelianum has been developing its activities in science, research, education and popularization since 1962 (Nobel Prize awarded for DNA structure – rehabilitation of Mendelian genetics behind the iron curtain).


At the occasion of the 50th anniversary, the Mendelianum moved into the historical heart of the city of Brno, exactly into the authentic premises where Mendel´s scientific Society (the Agriculture Society - Ackerbaugesellschaft) was located. This was the Society where Mendel worked actively for 30 years, where he kept discussions with his colleagues and where he got inspired for his later world famous research. In the historical room with the original painted wooden ceiling, where Mendel used to work, the visitors are welcome by the Mendel wax statue.


The exposition where everybody can become a scientist introduces the personality and work of J. G. Mendel and relates his research to today´s genetics, molecular biology and other scientific branches. There are unique several meter high models of DNA and gene expression supplemented by 3D animations which allow visitors to enter the cell nucleus. The Mendelianum offers Mendel´s as well as modern molecular laboratory with functional equipment and many interactive programmes.


In frame of its new conception for the 3rd millennium Mendel is presented as a modern scientist and multifaceted personality. The Mendelianum prepared also a Mendel Path visitors can walk in Brno.


Centrum Mendelianum represents a scientific as well a popular visitor centre supplemented with the Mendel Interactive School offering a rich programme.

 

Mendelianum as a part of the Moravian Museum

In 2015 Mendelianum celebrates 50 years of active work in scientific and popular-scientific areas related to Mendel's life, work and his scientific and cultural heritage. To this significant anniversary Mendelianum presents its modern concept under the heading Mendelianum Center. This center provides a unique foundation for science, research, education, popularization and promotion. Mendelianum Center includes scientific center, visitor center and Mendel interactive school. Mendelianum Center is open to everyone!

Mendel´s Scientific Centre

vstup centrum

The activity within the framework of MCentre of science includes:

  • Collection files are collected, classified, stored and displayed concerning Gregor Mendel´s biography and the scientific context of his discovery, said documentation being created by researchers from here and abroad into Mendel´s heritage since the beginning of the 20th Century.
  • Folia Mendeliana: the only international specialized historical-scientific reviewed journal with the research results on Mendel's life and reports on the origin and early development of genetics.
  • Mendel Forum: conferences organized yearly since 1992 for professionals, later expanded to include a space for meetings of scientists, teachers, students and the general public.
  • Mendel Medal: annual unique appreciation of internationally prominent personality for his/her contribution to the development of the scientific and cultural heritage of J. G. Mendel and genetics.
  • Mendel Lecture: since 1992, it represents a significant opportunity for scientists to present their research within the framework of the takeover of the Mendel Memorial medal of the Moravian Museum.
  • Mendel´s native house: cooperation in the foundation of the historical trust house of Mendel´s parents, its reconstruction, preparation of exhibitions, excursions, together with a long-term cooperation in the evaluation of the students´ competition taking place in Mendel´s Hynčice for talented secondary school students.
  • Mendel Brno: since 2001, organization of occasional strolls around Mendel´s Brno with an expert commentary, complemented by short-term exhibitions, publications and other activities.
  • Exhibitions and expositions: a long-term tradition of professional and popular science exhibitions. Mendelianum (Mendlovo náměstí) – 1965 - 2000, Mendelianum (Údolní Street) – 2001 - 2006, Mendelianum (Biskupský dvůr) – since 2012.
  • Professional publications: in addition to papers published in Folia Mendeliana and other international journals, this section includes the issue of professional and popular scientific publications (Gregor Johann Mendel, Genetics Behind the Iron Curtain, Mendel in a Black Box, Experiments on Plant Hybrids, Mendel´s Brno and many others).
  • Other activities: lectures, seminars, excursions, popularization activities, film and interactive materials, Web pages, etc., etc.

Mendel´s Visitor Centre

koncepce centra Brno

The basic parts of the Visitor Centre consist of:

  • Introductive section: From the genetic program to its implementation
  • Molecular-biological laboratory: The desire to explore and discover
  • Genetic stories on the background of Nobel Prizes: Mendel in the concept of today's science
  • Historic hall and modern science: A counterpoint of old and new
  • Conference Hall: the place where Mendel was meeting his hybridizing colleagues and gathered motivation for his experiments
  • Mendel's laboratory: disclosure what Mendel knew and what he couldn't know
  • Scientific milieu of Mendel´s discovery: A trip to Mendel´s epoch
  • Mendel´s experimental plants: Mendel's verification of his discoveries
  • Mendel´s Brno: Walking in the footsteps of J. G. Mendel in Brno

Mendel´s Interactive School

vstup centrum

Mendel was an exceptional, modest and loving personality, but he never established a scientific school of his own during his lifetime. Until 30 years after his death his ideas were incorporated into the body of science giving birth to genetics. The present Mendel school takes advantage of the incentive aspect of JGM and his heritage to meet the overall concept based on several of the major directions of the project of Mendel Interactive School of Genetics.

  • Mendel Mobile School (MMS)
  • Mendel Scientific Research School (MSRS)
  • Mendel Summer School (MSS)
  • Mendel School World Wide + Web (MWŠ)

logoOPVKaESFcolorMendel´s interactive school

Thematic area of the Centre

J. G. Mendel

1 Mendel osobnostJ. G. Mendel - scientist and a multifaceted personality.

Introductive section

2 vstupni castIntroductive section: From the genetic program to its implementation.

Scientific milieu of Mendel´s discovery

3 Mendelova dobaScientific milieu of Mendel´s discovery: A trip to Mendel´s epoch.

Conference Hall

4 SalConference Hall: the place where Mendel was meeting his scientific colleagues and gathered motivation for his experiments.

Mendel's laboratory

5 Mendel laborator bMendel's laboratory: disclosure what Mendel knew and what he could not know.

Molecular-biological laboratory

6 laboratorMolecular-biological laboratory: The desire to explore and discover.

Genetic stories on the background of Nobel Prizes

7 Nobelovy ceny2Genetic stories on the background of Nobel Prizes: Mendel in the concept of today's science

Mendel´s plants

8 rostlinyMendel´s plants: Mendel's verification of his discoveries.

Historic hall and modern science

10 sal bHistoric hall and modern science: A counterpoint of old and new.

JMF

MendelForum

odpoledne dna

Vedakce

Mendel´s Brno

The Bishop Court

Biskupsky dvurThe Bishop Court became the Moravian Museum and the seat of the AgriCulture Association with its many scientific sections in 1817. Mendel profited most from the gardening section. The experiments performed to achieve new colour varieties of ornamental plants initiated his experiments with peas (Muzejní 1).

 

The Dietrichstein Palace

Dietrichsteinsky palacThe Dietrichstein Palace of the Moravian Museum with its memorial hall showing plaques of the chief figures of the AgriCulture Association as founders of the Moravian Museum (Zelný trh 1).

 

The Reduta Theatre

Reduta BrnoThe Reduta Theatre where exhibits of flowers, fruit and vegetable were organized by Mendel´s Section of Pomiculture, Viniculture and Horticulture of the AgriCulture Association (Zelný trh).

 

The Institute of Philosophy

The Institute of PhilosophyThe Institute of Philosophy at the Minorite Monastery where Mendel studied agriculture, pomiculture and viniculture in 1846 (Minoritská 1).

 

The High School in Brno

The High SchoolThe building of the Modern High School in Brno where Mendel lectured physics and natural science 1854-1868 and published his discovery in 1865 in the Nature Research Society meetings (Jánská 22).

 

The Memorial Plaques

The Memorial PlaquesThe memorial plaques of the former Mortgage Bank honouring Mendel as its Director General (Roosevelt / Dvořák Streets corner).

 

The Augustinian Order

The Augustinian OrderThe original seat of the Augustinian Order St. Thomas to 1782 (Moravské náměstí).

 

The Moravian Diet

The building Moravian DietThe building of the former Moravian Diet where the premises of the Mortgage Bank were situated from 1878. Mendel was working there as
vice-director and from 1881 as Director General till the end of his life (Joštova 8).

 

The Technical College

The Technical CollegeThe building of the former Technical College where the meetings of the Nature Research Society were held over which Mendel often presided in his position of society´s vice-chairman (Komenského náměstí 2).

 

The New Town Hall

The New Town HallThe New Town Hall as a centre of cultural events and presentations of the AgriCulture Association activities in which Mendel took part as a member of its Central Board (Dominikánské náměstí).

 

St. Michael's Church

St. Michael's ChurchThe Institute of Theology at the Dominican Monastery where Mendel studied 1844-1848. In St Michael church he was ordained priest on August 15, 1847 and celebrated his first mass (Dominikánské náměstí).

 

The Urban Centre

The Urban CentreThe Urban Centre where the office and the library of the Nature Research Society were housed after 1870 (Šilingrovo náměstí).

 

St. Ann Hospital

St. Ann HospitalSt. Ann Hospital where Mendel proved unsuccessful in his pastoral service but achieved the support of the hospital director in ornamental plant breeding and meteorology (Pekařská 53/55).

 

The Cistercian Nunnary

The Basilica of the Assumption The former Cistercian Nunnary, since 1783 the seat of the Augustinian Order. Mendel lived there 1843-1884. The Basilica of the Assumption of the Virgin and the adjoining prelate quarters of Gregor Mendel 1868-1884 (Mendelovo náměstí 1).

 

Opening Hours

Monday closed
Tuesday 9.00 - 15.00
Wednesday 9.00 - 17.00
Thursday 9.00 - 17.00
Friday 9.00 - 17.00
Saturday, Sunday 13.00 - 18.00

More information

More Information

Admission: - full / discount / family
Exposition without a guide 70,- / 35,- / 175,-
Exposition with a guide 90,- / 45,- / 225,-
Tickets to Mendeliana must be purchased at the box office Ditrichstein palace.

Provided discounts:
There is a 50 % discount when you register online. To book a specific time, please use e - mail: mendelianum@mzm.cz

Author: Mgr. Jiri Veverka | Mendelianum, Moravian Museum, Zelný trh 6, 659 37, Brno, Czech Republic