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Armillary Sphere in Top Gallery History of Science Museum Oxford

Discover your Museum from home

Enjoy our stories online while our doors are temporarily closed

Your journey starts here

Bioart and Bacteria Anna Dumitriu Exhibition Engineered Antibody copyright Anna Dumitriu

"I am among those who think that science has great beauty" Marie Curie

Science and the Arts are rich with moments of creative connection.

From a 3D recreation of John Keats to the simple beauty of X-ray crystallography, here are some of our favourites.

Discover the beauty of science

Curious Curators at Museum of the History of Science, inspecting the Bhugola.

Calling Curious Curators

Our Museum is closed for a while – so how do you fancy becoming the Curious Curator for an object in your own home?

Competition closes 31 March 2021

Take the Label Challenge

Explore the Collections Databases

Browse over 20,000 records in our Objects Database, and search our Library and Manuscript catalogues. Plus access to bespoke catalogues for Astrolabes, Marconi, and Epact.

Search the collections

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

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

Exhibition: Heartbeat of the CIty

Take a minute to go inside out with us this winter.

Outside, interact with clock sculpture which draws on your footsteps to beat out the rhythm of our city.

Inside, discover historical timepieces spanning centuries, each one with a story to tell of human ingenuity and engineering expertise.

Tour the online Gallery

Exhibition: Precious and Rare: Islamic Metalwork from The Courtauld - Cultures in Conversation

From stunning court fashion and intricate astrolabes to beautiful bowls and candlesticks, discover how the technical skills of Islamic artisans stimulated cultural conversations through the ebb and flow of people, goods, and ideas.

Tour the online gallery

Precious and Rare: Islamic Metalwork from The Courtauld - Cultures in Conversation audience survey

Help us improve your online galleries

Do you have 5-10 minutes to share your thoughts about our online exhibition for Precious and Rare: Islamic Metalwork from The Courtauld?

It's completely confidential — and you could win a £20 Amazon voucher or a free shop bundle.

We value your feedback. Thank you for your support.

Take the survey

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

37148 Astrolabe with lunar mansions (Back detail) 1800 x 840 px

Object of the Month

Combining Indian and Bedouin traditions, the 'lunar mansions' — groups of stars through which the moon moves — are engraved in an inner circle on this exceptionally detailed astrolabe featured in our Islamic Metalwork exhibition.

Tour the Islamic Metalwork exhibition

Object of the Week

In Islamic art, the iconography of the constellations is borrowed from Classical Antiquity. The star positions on this globe were taken from the Book of Constellations by Abu al-Husayn ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Sufi, who modelled his star charts on those of Greek astronomer Ptolemy.

Tour the Islamic Metalwork exhibition

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

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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

Make a memory

What says "I remember my visit" like a magnetic hourglass?

Every purchase supports the Museum.

Browse the 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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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.

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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

Discover your Museum from home

Enjoy our stories online while our doors are temporarily closed

Discover. Connect. Inspire.

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

Discover

"I am among those who think that science has great beauty" Marie Curie

Calling Curious Curators

Explore the Collections Databases

Celebrating the founder of modern neurology

Exhibition: Heartbeat of the CIty

Exhibition: Precious and Rare: Islamic Metalwork from The Courtauld - Cultures in Conversation

Help us improve your online galleries

Online Exhibition: Women and Photography

Object of the Month

Object of the Week

Visitor's Choice

Meet Stephen, your Pocket Curator

Take the 2-Minute Tour

Make a memory

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

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

Discover your Museum from home

Enjoy our stories online while our doors are temporarily closed

Discover. Connect. Inspire.

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

Discover

"I am among those who think that science has great beauty" Marie Curie

Calling Curious Curators

Explore the Collections Databases

Celebrating the founder of modern neurology

Exhibition: Heartbeat of the CIty

Exhibition: Precious and Rare: Islamic Metalwork from The Courtauld - Cultures in Conversation

Help us improve your online galleries

Online Exhibition: Women and Photography

Object of the Month

Object of the Week

Visitor's Choice

Meet Stephen, your Pocket Curator

Take the 2-Minute Tour

Make a memory

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

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.