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Armillary Sphere in Top Gallery History of Science Museum Oxford

Welcome to the History of Science Museum

Collecting COVID

Oxford University’s History of Science Museum and the Bodleian Libraries are joining forces to collect the stories of the COVID-19 pandemic — and the extraordinary responses to this global challenge across Oxford University.

Contribute to history in the making

Luke Jerram with his COVID-19 vaccine glass sculpture

The Art of Science: the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID vaccine

This stunning artwork celebrates the remarkable story of the Oxford University researchers who developed the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.

Experience the sculpture — and add your voice to our living-history display.

Experience the sculpture

Armillary Sphere (70229) in the Top Gallery, History of Science Museum, University of Oxford (Photo by Ian Wallman)

Discovery starts here

Collections Online puts our objects and archives database at your fingertips on one, easy-to-use search dashboard.

Start your search

Exhibition: The Art of Science

You're looking at a single nanoparticle of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, one million times its actual size, sculpted in glass.

This stunning artwork celebrates the remarkable story of the Oxford University researchers who developed the vaccine.

Be part of history in the making

Heartbeat of the City watches display (9) 1800 x 840 px

Watches that tell stories: Aviation, Exploration, and Innovation

From undersea exploration and early flight to crossing deserts and firing the first shots on D-Day …

Discover watches that witnessed history in the making with personal tales of the bold aviators, curious explorers, and ingenious innovators who owned them.

Got a minute? Tour the gallery

Marconi Van outside the History of Science Museum

Exhibition: Marconi Van

Join us outside the Museum on Broad Street to explore the past, present, and future of radio and communications physics.

Discover Marconi

Alice in Typhoidland Virtual Tour

Glide with us on a murky ride into Oxford's underside ... take a brand-new virtual tour of the Alice in Typhoidland exhibition at the Weston Library and History of Science Museum in Oxford.

Tour Alice in Typhoidland

Thomas Willis, Neurologist. Picture line engraving by R White after D Loggan Wellcome v0006298

Celebrating the founder of modern neurology

In 2021 we're celebrating the birth of Thomas Willis (1621-1675), one of the greatest neuroanatomists of all time.

Known for first coining the term "neurology", he became one of the leading physicians of his day; his thinking was centuries ahead of its time.

Discover the life & works of Thomas Willis

museum of the history of science by john cairns 19 11 18 15

Meet Stephen, your Pocket Curator

You can carry around our Curator, Stephen, on your phone or tablet.

Download the app, put your headphones on and discover the human stories behind seven objects.

Learn more and download the app

Take the 2-Minute Tour

Fancy a 2-Minute Museum visit?

Take the Virtual Grand Tour: see each of our Galleries, have a mosey around the staircase and leap all 3 floors in a single click!

Take the 2-Minute Tour

Photo Oxford 2020 Women in Photography Exhibition Banner 1800 x 840 px

Online Exhibition: Women and Photography

Discover Oxford's rich history of talented, pioneering women photographers.

Celebrate Photo Oxford 2020

Visitor's Choice

This beautiful Astrolabe was chosen by our friend Megan (@WritersGreenHse) who often drops in for inspiration when writing in town.

Learn about Megan's Astrolabe

Visitors browsing in the Museum Shop (looking at Einstein ducks)

Have a browse

Fancy a souvenir of your visit?

From astrolabes and activity packs to eco-friendly mugs and periodic table goodies — don't miss our Museum Shop.

Portrait of young boy with Sir John Chardin (stairwell view) Inv no: 72661

Reframing the "Chardin" portrait

Camille Leadbetter continues her investigation of the Chardin portrait, and shares her quest to bring the story of the young boy — and thousands like him — into the foreground.

Discover the story

“Sir Henry Acland & Mr. M. W. Haffkine” taken by Sarah Angelina Acland (digital positive from half-plate negative, 1899) Bodleian Library, Minn Collection Negative 202/9

Epidemic encounters

Discover the story of Waldemar Haffkine, the "vaccine pioneer the world forgot" and his 35-year friendship with groundbreaking photographer Sarah Acland.

Relax with a 10-minute read

Rings of Heaven talk: First image astronomers are conducting observations using a 5 3 metre armillary sphere in the late 16th century Istanbul observatory

Watch again: Knowledge in Motion on YouTube

If you missed any of our Knowledge in Motion series of online talks, you can catch up any time on YouTube.

Watch the talks

Christmas Light Festival 2020 1800 x 840 px

Watch again: Family Fun online

You can join the Multaka team any time to enjoy Art, Music, and Craft: The Mosul Handbag — a jam-packed hour of fun family craft and activities—and learn about what may be the oldest handbag in the world!

Get crafting with Multaka

Award-winng Multaka-Oxford

We're so proud of our friends and colleagues in the Multaka-Oxford team: 2020 winners of the Vice-Chancellor's Diversity Award for Diversifying Participation at the University of Oxford.

Meet the Multaka-Oxford team

Online Galleries: Astrolabes of Africa

North Africa has a long tradition of making beautiful, ingenious astrolabes.

10 Astrolabes — 3 Pioneers — 1 Exhibition.

Visit our online gallery

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I want to support my Museum

We can't do it without you!

Thanks to your generosity, we can keep highlighting ingenious stories that spark curiosity for as many people as possible.

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Supporting your Museum

As a registered charity, we make our Collections freely available for everyone to enjoy and offer a wide range of activities for our communities.

Thanks to your generosity — last year our visitors contributed £41,000 in donations — we have been able to support the Museum’s Collections and continue public events and education programmes.

That is why we continue to rely on visitors just like you to support us.

I want to support the Museum

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Volunteering

We are very grateful to all our volunteers who help make our Museum and its Collections more welcoming, interesting, and open to all. Would you like to join them?

Join our community

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Inspiration in your inbox

Stay in touch with the latest stories, events, learning resources and Museum news.

Sign up for our Newsletter

Take a look

Book: Director's Choice

£9.95

Take a look

Periodic Table Collection

From books and mugs to tea towels and tags: everything you need to explore the Periodic Table.

Take a look

Sundial Magnet

£3

Welcome to the History of Science Museum

Discover. Connect. Inspire.

Explore the history of science through our objects, their inventors — and the stories of how they changed the world.

Discover

Collecting COVID

The Art of Science: the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID vaccine

Discovery starts here

Exhibition: The Art of Science

Watches that tell stories: Aviation, Exploration, and Innovation

Exhibition: Marconi Van

Alice in Typhoidland Virtual Tour

Celebrating the founder of modern neurology

Meet Stephen, your Pocket Curator

Take the 2-Minute Tour

Online Exhibition: Women and Photography

Visitor's Choice

Fancy a souvenir of your visit?

Be inspired

Reframing the "Chardin" portrait

Epidemic encounters

Watch again: Knowledge in Motion on YouTube

Watch again: Family Fun online

Award-winng Multaka-Oxford

Online Galleries: Astrolabes of Africa

We can't do it without you!

Behind the Scenes at the Museum
Join our experts as they put a selection of our working scientific instruments through their paces. It's rare we have a chance to handle these objects, so we hope you enjoy seeing them come to life as much as we did.

Connect with your Museum

Supporting your Museum

Volunteering

Inspiration in your inbox

Browse products from our shop

Book: Director's Choice

Periodic Table Collection

Sundial Magnet

CoronaVirus notice script (DO NOT EDIT)

Coronavirus warning content (Edit this content)

Home

Welcome to the History of Science Museum

Discover. Connect. Inspire.

Explore the history of science through our objects, their inventors — and the stories of how they changed the world.

Discover

Collecting COVID

The Art of Science: the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID vaccine

Discovery starts here

Exhibition: The Art of Science

Watches that tell stories: Aviation, Exploration, and Innovation

Exhibition: Marconi Van

Alice in Typhoidland Virtual Tour

Celebrating the founder of modern neurology

Meet Stephen, your Pocket Curator

Take the 2-Minute Tour

Online Exhibition: Women and Photography

Visitor's Choice

Fancy a souvenir of your visit?

Be inspired

Reframing the "Chardin" portrait

Epidemic encounters

Watch again: Knowledge in Motion on YouTube

Watch again: Family Fun online

Award-winng Multaka-Oxford

Online Galleries: Astrolabes of Africa

We can't do it without you!

Behind the Scenes at the Museum Join our experts as they put a selection of our working scientific instruments through their paces. It's rare we have a chance to handle these objects, so we hope you enjoy seeing them come to life as much as we did.

Connect with your Museum

Supporting your Museum

Volunteering

Inspiration in your inbox

Browse products from our shop

Book: Director's Choice

Periodic Table Collection

Sundial Magnet

CoronaVirus notice script (DO NOT EDIT)

Coronavirus warning content (Edit this content)

Behind the Scenes at the Museum
Join our experts as they put a selection of our working scientific instruments through their paces. It's rare we have a chance to handle these objects, so we hope you enjoy seeing them come to life as much as we did.