The rare, never-before-seen photographs in Phenomena, Scientists and Mysteries of the Mind explore researchers' interest in so-called "unexplained" phenomena, from the 1880s to the present day. Following on from the first exhibition in 2022, this year's edition will focus on other mysterious phenomena such as telepathy, ectoplasm and the photography of dreams and thoughts. In one of his texts on mechanical modernity, the philosopher Walter Benjamin emphasized that "the nature that speaks to the camera" is "other than that which speaks to the eye". This is one aspect of photography's unexplained phenomena: it opens up the impossible, builds unexpected bridges, makes the invisible visible. Whether these astonishing archival documents are the result of accidents or misinterpretations, or on the contrary, of authentic events, is of little importance. The fact remains that, despite the wear and tear of time, they retain their power of suggestion and continue to captivate us.
Museum of the History of Medecine
Located in the premises of the former Faculty of Medicine of Paris, the Museum of the History of Medicine presents some of the oldest collections in Europe. They were assembled by Dean Lafaye in the 18th century, and then completed by an important collection of items covering the different branches of the art of surgery until the end of the 19th century. The Museum of the History of Medicine has found its place among the many museums in Paris and is also internationally renowned.