Exhibitions

Bugs and Bakelite buttons. Lab notes and lifesaving letters. Vaccines and vats of bright, colorful dyes. Our digital and in-person exhibitions explore the diverse and surprising histories behind the science that shapes our world.

Featured

Lunchtime: The History of Science on the School Food Tray

Our new exhibition offers a novel historical perspective on efforts to feed children in U.S. schools.

The Science History Institute Museum is free and open to the public Wednesday through Saturday, 10am to 5pm. You can also explore our digital exhibitions on Google Arts & Culture or revisit your favorite shows from the past.

woman and child in front of a museum exhibit

Permanent Exhibition

Explore more than 500 years of scientific inquiry into the material world.

Sensational Science: A Century of Microbe Hunters

Explore the nearly 100-year-old book that influenced generations of scientists.

Consuming Women’s Healthcare

Our new ExhibitLab uses the lens of science history to show how women’s healthcare products have developed over time.

A Remote Idea

Healing at a distance: Our latest rare book exhibition explores the debate over the effectiveness of the weapon salve.

Enabling Transparency

Glass artist Anna Mlasowsky examines the history of the rare earth elements and their socio-ecological impact on local communities and the environment.

The Whole of Nature and the Mirror of Art

View photo reproductions of engravings from 17th-century alchemical books.