This month marks the 150th anniversary of Gregor Mendel's presentation of his famous study 'Experiments in plant hybrids' at a meeting of the Nature Research Society in Brno, Moravia (in today's Czech Republic). His lecture was published a year later in the society's journal.

Often called the father of modern genetics, Mendel and his scientific and cultural legacy are being honoured at the Mendelianum Centre of the Moravian Museum, the original premises of the society where his ideas were first formulated and discussed. The centre, which will be officially opened on 8 March, is both a Mendel museum and an outreach venue for modern genetics research, science and education (see www.mendelianum.cz).