Phyletisches Museum

Evolution in science

Ernst Haeckel’s legacy

Our History

Ontogeny and Phylogeny

The Phyletic Museum, which was founded by Ernst Haeckel in 1907, is a unique museum in Jena. Its name is derived from phylogenesis – a term coined by Haeckel himself. Visit our fascinating museum and keep up to date with the latest research into evolution. – Understanding evolution.

1907

Foundation

Ernst Haeckel founded the Phyletic Museum and financed the building largely from private funds and with the help of other donors.

1908

Laying of the foundation stone

Group photo at the laying of the foundation stone, including Ernst Haeckel (center) and the engraver Adolf Giltsch.

1908

Opening of the museum

Haeckel donated it to the Friedrich Schiller University of Jena on the occasion ofthe 350th anniversary of its founding. Haeckel was 75 years old at the time and wanted to crown his life's work, which had been created in Jena. However, he fell out with the first director Ludwig Plate and had to retire to his home in Bergstraße – today the Ernst- Haeckel House.

1908

What do “phyletic” and “phylogeny” mean?

Phylogeny means the phylogenetic development of living organisms in the course of the earth's history. The term is formed from two Greek words: Phylos means stem or lineage. Genesis means birth or origin. 'Phyletic' is a rarely used short form of 'phylogenetic'. An important technical term used in museums is technical term is 'monophyletic'. This characterizes groups that have a common ancestor. Today, the museum would probably be called an evolutionary museum be called an evolutionary museum.

bis 1989

GDR

During the GDR era, the museum was modernized, whereby 'unfashionable' ceiling paintings, commemorative plaques and parts of the ornamentation on the façade were removed.

2008

Restoration of the façade

In the anniversary year, the façade (with the exception of the roof) was professionally reconstructed. The ornamentation was restored in the process.

Our Team

Researchers and specialists

The Phyletic Museum conducts internationally recognized scientific research, particularly in the field of insect biodiversity and morphology. Ongoing projects, for example, deal with the phylogeny and taxonomy of the fan-winged insects and research into the huge biodiversity of insects in the tropical Andes. The collection plays a central role in this work; between 2016 and 2022 alone, around 25,000 new butterflies were integrated into the collection, including many previously unknown species that are to be scientifically described in the future. Research has also been carried out on vertebrates for a long time, as the Phyletic Museum is the collection point for dead wildcat specimens in Thuringia. The animals are examined morphologically and genetically in collaboration with the Senckenberg Institute in Gelnhausen.