In 2022, ETH Zurich had its more than 100 monuments analysed to determine which personalities they represent, what possible colonial entanglements they have, or whether they have attracted attention through racist statements or actions. The people represented – mostly scientists – shared a relationship with the world, be it to improve it or to exploit it. Some prepared the ground for colonialism by scientifically legitimising racial theories, defending the slave trade or profiting personally from colonial endeavours. Many shared a sense of the superiority of Western civilisation over non-European regions, emphasised the role of Western culture in missionising and educating so-called ‘primitive’ communities, or benefited personally from the practices of colonialist exploitation.