Exhibitions

Flasks and fireworks. Bugs and Bakelite buttons. Lab notes and lifesaving letters. AstroTurf and alchemy. Gas chromatographs and glowing minerals. Our digital and in-person exhibitions explore the diverse and surprising histories behind the science that shapes our world.

Featured

Fire and Gold: The Art of Alchemy (1450-1850)

A new permanent exhibition featuring paintings and rare books that explore the alchemist’s quest to uncover nature’s secrets and unlock the potential of matter.

woman and child in front of a museum exhibit

Permanent Exhibition

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

Flash! Bang! Boom! A History of Fireworks

Part of America’s 250th celebrations, this sparkling exhibition explores the origins of and the science behind fireworks.

Earthly Matters

Explore a unique collection of minerals that tells the story of human curiosity about the material world around us.

More Than Meets the Eye

This ExhibitLab explores social and material technologies that have shaped corneal transplantation.

page from an old chemistry notebook with drawings

Between the Lines, Beyond the Bench

This exhibition reveals the unexpected in student laboratory notebooks and course materials.

First-Class Flora: A Stamp Collection of Medicinal Plants

This outdoor exhibition presents a unique historical intersection between professional science and a personal hobby.

The Whole of Nature and the Mirror of Art

The ongoing exhibition features photo reproductions of engravings from 17th-century alchemical books.