History of Science Museum

History of Science Museum Discover Islamic instruments from the Middle Ages, Einstein's blackboard and the first cultures of the life-saving antibiotic Penicillin under one roof.
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This unrivalled collection of early scientific instruments is housed in the world's oldest public purpose-built museum building, the Old Ashmolean. See Islamic instruments from the Middle Ages, Einstein's blackboard and the first cultures of the life-saving antibiotic Penicillin under one roof. We offer public lectures, family-friendly events and gallery tours that highlight our collections. For t

hose unable to visit Oxford, online versions of exhibitions, stand-alone online resources and a web version of the collections database are available at www.hsm.ox.ac.uk

With just 2 weeks to go until Alice’s Day on 4 July, we’re stepping into Wonderland with these charming magic lantern sl...
20/06/2026

With just 2 weeks to go until Alice’s Day on 4 July, we’re stepping into Wonderland with these charming magic lantern slides 🫖

Magic lanterns were cutting-edge tech in their time. First appearing in the late 1600s and booming in popularity during the Victorian era, they used painted glass slides to project colourful images onto walls—bringing stories to life for audiences gathered in darkened rooms.

It’s easy to imagine how audiences might have felt transported into fantastical worlds—much like Alice herself…We'll be celebrating this transporting story by holding a playful gallery hunt game 10.30-12.30—join us to solve the clues and win a sticker! 🐇

There’s plenty happening across Oxford too, so be sure to check out The Story Museum website to plan your perfect day ♠️♥️

One month to go… something curious is coming 🐇✨Alice’s Day will arrive in Oxford on 4 July. Tumble down the rabbit hole ...
04/06/2026

One month to go… something curious is coming 🐇✨

Alice’s Day will arrive in Oxford on 4 July. Tumble down the rabbit hole with us for our Alice in Wonderland gallery game!

What objects will you discover?

Why not make a day of it? Check out The Story Museum website to see how Alice’s Day is being celebrated across Oxford ♣️

Take a look at this striking watercolour from our collection: a night sky alive with stars, a vast comet blazing overhea...
02/06/2026

Take a look at this striking watercolour from our collection: a night sky alive with stars, a vast comet blazing overhead, and—down below—two tiny figures beneath the trees. What are they thinking? 👀

The artist of this dreamy work is Edward Backhouse—a Quaker preacher and historian. Backhouse observed this spectacle from Hexham, in Northumberland. The comet is the spectacular Donati's Comet—one of the most beautiful and widely seen comets of the 19th century.

First spotted on on this day in 1858 by Giovanni Donati, it reached its peak in October, when it swept past Earth trailing an enormous, glowing tail—just as you see here.

Public fascination with comets was already running high at this time. A year earlier, inaccurate calculations by John Russell Hind had sparked fears—especially in Paris—that a comet might collide with Earth. Thankfully, Donati’s Comet brought wonder rather than catastrophe, becoming the most observed comet of its century.

And if you’re wondering when you might catch it yourself… you’ll need to be patient. Its orbit brings it back roughly every 2,000 years. Who will be standing under the stars next time? 💫

Einstein’s love of music made him see the world differently. He once said he often thought in music. That got us wonderi...
30/05/2026

Einstein’s love of music made him see the world differently. He once said he often thought in music.

That got us wondering how Einstein's scientific legacy continues to inspire musicians and scientists today.

So we had a chat with some music and Einstein enthusiasts who, it turned out, had been wondering the same thing:

🌟 Andrew Robinson, author of Einstein in Oxford
🌟 Professor Brian Foster, author of Einstein: A Life in Science and Music
🌟 Professor Roger Davies, Emeritus Professor of Astrophysics
🎶 Experimental composer Zakiya Leeming
🎻 Violinist Linda Jankowska

We hope you'll join us for an evening of live music and conversation exploring Einstein’s impact and legacy. Zakiya and Linda will share the world premiere of three miniatures for violin composed for this event and inspired by conversations with the panelists.

Not to be missed.

Held at Trinity College, Oxford; hosted by the History of Science Museum.
Tickets from £5. Followed by a free drinks reception.
https://ow.ly/BJFX50Z5Efo

University of Oxford Physics; Oxford Astrophysics; Faculty of Music, University of Oxford

Got curious kids (or feeling curious yourself)? We’ve got your weekend sorted 🔍✨Join us at the Museum for a heap of hand...
27/05/2026

Got curious kids (or feeling curious yourself)? We’ve got your weekend sorted 🔍✨

Join us at the Museum for a heap of hands-on fun!

This Saturday starts with our Quiet Session (9–10am) – a calmer way to explore before the buzz begins. You can find booking details on our What’s On page.

Then from 10am–2pm, it’s time for How Does It Work? – our drop-in session that shares the secrets behind some of our objects.

Can't make Saturday? We’ve got you covered – How Does It Work? is back again on Sunday 12–4pm.

We can't wait to see you there! ✨

🔬 Ever since the microscope was invented at the end of the 16th century, people have been hooked on the hidden worlds it...
26/05/2026

🔬 Ever since the microscope was invented at the end of the 16th century, people have been hooked on the hidden worlds it revealed.

By the 19th century big leaps in optics meant stronger magnification and sharper detail. Scientists could see more than ever before. From biology and medicine to geology and fossils, microscopes shaped all kinds of discoveries 👀

Want to see what they can reveal for yourself? Join us at the History of Science Museum for a family drop-in session, 'Zoom In': explore Victorian microscopes and slides and draw your own microscopic world to take home.

📍History of Science Museum
🗓️ 27 May, drop-in 1-3pm
⭐ For ages 7+

Image: Optical Cabinet Containing Three Microscopes, Inv. No. 45972

Just one week to go until our next Relaxed Opening ✨Join us on 30 May, 9–10am, for a chance to explore the Museum in a q...
23/05/2026

Just one week to go until our next Relaxed Opening ✨

Join us on 30 May, 9–10am, for a chance to explore the Museum in a quieter, calmer setting before we open to the general public.

These sessions are designed with neurodivergent and SEND visitors in mind, as well as anyone who would enjoy a more relaxed environment. Take your time and experience the collections in a way that works for you.

To find out more, visit our What’s On page or book a space by emailing [email protected].

We’d love to welcome you 💙

Kids in Museums Experience Oxfordshire

🔬 Curious about the tiny details?Drop in to the History of Science Museum for our May half term event 'Zoom In: Microsco...
21/05/2026

🔬 Curious about the tiny details?

Drop in to the History of Science Museum for our May half term event 'Zoom In: Microscopes in the Museum' — a hands-on session for families.

Take a look at original Victorian microscopes and slides, and discover how these small instruments helped change how we understand the world. Then have a go yourself: zoom in with lenses, observe up close, and sketch what you see — or even create your own imagined microscopic world to take home.

Perfect for ages 7+ (and curious grown-ups too).

⏰ drop in 1-3pm
📍History of Science Museum

Introducing an astrolabe with a wild side 🐐✨This beautiful 14th-century English astrolabe (dating to around 1370) isn’t ...
20/05/2026

Introducing an astrolabe with a wild side 🐐✨

This beautiful 14th-century English astrolabe (dating to around 1370) isn’t just a scientific instrument—look closely and you’ll spot animals woven into its design.

The rete (the openwork star map) is full of them. The band for the Tropic of Capricorn ends in a goat’s head 🐐 (very fitting), while the pointer for Sirius—the Dog Star—takes the form of a dog’s head. Near the centre, the bright star Vega appears as a tiny bird… perhaps a nod to its Arabic name, meaning “falling vulture” 🐦‍⬛

Even the shackle—the piece connecting the body to the hoop—is shaped like a comet ☄️ Our favourite detail.

But this isn’t just style over substance. Around the centre of the rete runs a circular scale divided into 29½ parts—almost certainly used to track the age of the Moon 🌙 Always handy to know.

We like to imagine all these creatures getting along peacefully… at least when they’re not chasing their (comet) tails.

Before medical scans, understanding the human body took a bit more… ingenuity 🫀Enter the écorché (from the French meanin...
12/05/2026

Before medical scans, understanding the human body took a bit more… ingenuity 🫀

Enter the écorché (from the French meaning “flayed”)—a figure showing the body as if the skin has been carefully removed to reveal muscles and bone structure underneath.

A bit dramatic? Yes. Extremely useful? Also yes.

During the Renaissance, écorchés became essential tools for both artists and physicians. They helped people figure out what was going on under the surface—how muscles sit, stretch, and interact when the body moves. For medical students, they were especially valuable when cadavers were in short supply.

These figures weren’t just scientific references, but also artistic challenges: how do you accurately show the body in all its complexity?

From our collection, this bronze écorché figure from the 18th century sits right at that crossroads of art and anatomy—sometimes the best way to understand the body is to take a very close look under the skin 🧠✨

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Broad Street
Oxford
OX13AZ

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 5pm
Sunday 10am - 5pm

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441865277293

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