History of Science and Science Museums

Science museums have embraced the technology of the Web to present their resources online. The nature of the technology naturally fits with the ethos of science. This chapter surveys the history, development and features of a number of contrasting pioneering museum Web sites in the field of science that have been early adopters of the technology. This includes case studies of Web sites associated with the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles, the Museum of the History of Science in Oxford, the Science Museum in London and the completely virtual Alan Turing Home Page. The purpose is to demonstrate a diverse set of successful scientifically-oriented Web sites related to science museums and the history of science, giving an insight into Web developments in this area over the past decade.

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A IMPORTÂNCIA DO MICROSCÓPIO ÓTICO NA REVOLUÇÃO CIENTÍFICA - DAS PRÁTICAS EDUCACIONAIS À REPRESENTAÇÃO MUSEOLÓGICA

História da Ciência e Ensino construindo interfaces ◽

10.23925/2178-2911.2019v20espp126-140 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 20 ◽

pp. 126-140

Author(s):

Nuno Teles ◽

Maria João Fonseca

Keyword(s):

Natural History ◽

History Of Science ◽

Point Of View ◽

Science Museum ◽

National Museum ◽

Science Museums ◽

History Of ◽

Historical Contextualization ◽

The University ◽

The 19Th Century

ResumoNeste artigo é apresentada uma reflexão sobre os museus de ciência a partir da sua vertente educativa ligada às questões da representação museológica. Em discussão está a importância do microscópio como objeto de destaque museológico aliada ao seu contributo para o ensino das ciências. Numa primeira abordagem é feita uma contextualização histórica sobre a descoberta, desenvolvimento e importância deste instrumento, seguida de uma contextualização científica sobre a sua utilização como ferramenta de investigação e educação. Numa segunda abordagem serão apresentados os campos de aplicação deste equipamento como instrumento educativo ao longo do século XIX até ao século XXI. Como exemplos serão referidos três museus nacionais de ciência: Museu de História Natural e da Ciência da Universidade do Porto; Museu da Ciência da Universidade de Coimbra; e Museu Nacional de História Natural e da Ciência da Universidade de Lisboa. Palavras-chave: microscópio; educação; museologia; história da ciência. Abstract This article presents a reflection on the role played by science museums from an educational point of view in connection with issues pertaining to museological representation. In discussion is the importance of the microscope as an object of museological prominence allied to its contribution for science teaching. In a first approach, a historical contextualization on the discovery, development and importance of this instrument will be provided, followed by a scientific contextualization on its use as an educational and research tool. In a second approach the fields of application of the microscope as an educational instrument from the 19th century to the 21st century will be outlined. Three science museums in Portugal will be used as examples: the Natural History and Science Museum of the University of Porto, the Science Museum of the University of Coimbra and the National Museum of Natural History and Science of the University of Lisbon.Keywords: microscope; education; museology; history of science.

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Project Report: History of Science Museums and Planetariums in India

Indian Journal of History of Science ◽

10.16943/ijhs/2017/v52i3/49167 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 52 (3) ◽

Author(s):

Jayanta Sthanapati

Keyword(s):

History Of Science ◽

Science Museums ◽

Project Report ◽

History Of

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MUSEUM SPACES AND SPACES OF SCIENCE. REFLECTIONS ON THE EXPLANATORY POSSIBILITIES OF HISTORY OF SCIENCE COLLECTIONS

Nuncius ◽

10.1163/182539105x00051 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 20 (2) ◽

pp. 415-429

Author(s):

CHRISTOPH LTHY

Keyword(s):

Early Modern ◽

History Of Science ◽

Social Practices ◽

The Self ◽

Scientific Instruments ◽

Science Museums ◽

Modern Period ◽

History Of ◽

Functional Context

Abstracttitle ABSTRACT /title Historians of science have been discussing the degree to which local scientific and social practices and circumstances may be taken into account before 'the history of science' as a coherent narrative implodes. This article argues that museum curators face related issues, albeit of a more complicated order, when deciding how to present historical scientific instruments. A number of these issues are discussed here. One of them concerns 'functional isometry', a term that refers to the ability of an historical instrument to perform its original functions also within the museum. It is shown that 'functional isometry' tends to disappear between the early modern and the modern period, just as the self-explanatory capacity of scientific instruments generally decreases. Indeed, there appears to be a discontinuity between early modern and modern instruments with regard to their ability to be exhibited in their functional context. This article concludes on a reflection on the implication of these findings for science museums.

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