Plants as Medicine – Diversity in Switzerland
Events and Program at the New Botanical Garden | UZH
Language: German and English
New Botanical Garden, Zollikerstrasse 107, 8008 Zürich
Herbal medicine has a long history in Switzerland – from its early beginnings and monastic herb gardens to modern phytotherapy. Today, there are many ways in Switzerland to use plants for health. The exhibition in the glass building and garden invites you to discover this diversity as cultural heritage, a living practice, a field of research, and a source of artistic inspiration.
Artists:
Isabell Bullerschen
Anthea Oestreicher
Program:
Guided Tours:
Thursdays, 18:00 – 19:00 Meeting Point: Terrace at the Cafeteria
Date: August 20, 2026
Title: Plants as Medicine: Diversity in Switzerland (Focus: Dandelion)
Speakers: Samuel Hasler (Pharmacist & PhD Candidate at ISEB)
Date: August 27, 2026
Title: Plants as Medicine: Diversity in Switzerland
Speakers: Caroline Weckerle (Ethnobotanist & Head of Botanical Garden)
Date: September 10, 2026
Title: Why Medicinal Plants Heal
Speakers: Lilo Meier (Biologist & Phytotherapist)
Date: September 17, 2026
Title: Monastery Traditions & Gardens
Speakers: Bojana Lukic (Master’s Student in Ethnobotany, University of Zurich)
Date: October 1, 2026
Title: Plants as Medicine: An Art-Science Perspective
Speakers: Manuela Dahinden (Plant Science Center), Anthea Oestreicher (Artist), and Isabell Bullerschen (Artist)
Events:
Date: August 26, 2026
Time: 13:00 – 17:00
Title: Val Mucilaginosa – Ask the Artist & Reel Challenge
Speakers: Isabell Bullerschen (Artist) and Manuela Dahinden (Plant Science Center)
Location: Greenhouse 11 (Haus 11)
Date: August 27, 2026
Time: 19:00
Title: Science Café: Respiratory Encounters – Breath, Algae, and Connection
Speakers: Benjamin Misteli (Aquatic Ecologist, EAWAG), Anthea Oestreicher (Artist), and Manuela Dahinden (Plant Science Center)
Location: Lily Pond (Am Seerosenteich)
Date: August 28, 2026
Time: 18:00
Title: Science Café: Global Healing Plant Art – When Knowledge Travels
Speakers: Roman Steiner (Shamanic Practitioner), Yahaya Sekagya (Spiritual Healer, Uganda), Antoine Bertin & Cristina Tarquini (Artists), and Jacqueline Grigo (Anthropologist)
Language: English
Location: Arena am Teich
Category: Long Night of Museums (Lange Nacht der Museen)
Date: September 5, 2026 | General Hours: 18:00 – 24:00
Time: 18:30
Title: Premiere: Audiowalk «A journey into the living knowledge of the forest»
Speakers: Antoine Bertin, Cristina Tarquini, Armando Nacimiento, and Victoria Angel Ruiz (Tikuna People, San Martín de Amacayacu)
Language: English
Location: Arena am Teich
Time: 19:30, 20:30, 21:30
Title: Concert: Young Chamber Choir Zurich
Conductor: Marco Amherd
Location: Arena am Teich
Time: 20:00, 21:00, 22:00, 23:00
Title: Guided Tour: Exhibition «Plants as Medicine» & Art Installations
Focus: Works by Isabell Bullerschen and Anthea Oestreicher
Location: Lily Pond (Am Seerosenteich)
Time: 22:30
Title: Plankton Tarot Card Reading
Host: Anthea Oestreicher
Time: 00:00
Title: Late Night Tour: Tropical House
Location: Tropical House
Category: Workshops & Immersive Experiences
Type: Immersive Audiowalk
Dates: September 6 – 13, 2026
Title: Immersive Audiowalk in the Tropical House
Artists: Antoine Bertin & Cristina Tarquini
Language: English
Location: Tropical House
Type: City Walk & Performance
Date: September 19, 2026
Time: 13:00 – 16:00 (Walk) | 16:00 – 17:10 (Performance)
Title: TiM TaM City Walk & Performance «LUCIDA SONĜO»
Artists: Olga Kokcharova & Luc Müller
Location: Start: City / End: New Botanical Garden
Type: Family Workshop Series (ArtiZip)
Title: Family Atelier «Art & Nature»
Dates: Sundays on June 28, July 12, August 9, September 13, October 11, 2026
Time: 14:00 – 16:30
Type: Herbalist Workshop
Date: August 15, 2026
Time: 15:00 – 16:00
Title: Motherwort (Herzgespann)
Speaker: Dorin Ritzmann (Gynecologist & Midwife)
Location: Meet at Café Botanica
Type: Herbalist Workshop
Date: September 12, 2026
Time: 15:00 – 16:00
Title: Make Your Own Green Juice
Speaker: Dorin Ritzmann
Location: Meet at Café Botanica
Date: October 11, 2026
Title: Finissage
Description: Closing celebration of the exhibition «Plants as Medicine: Diversity in Switzerland»
Registration: Check website for specific program details
Credit: Claudia Winkeler.
