History of Science Museum, History of science museum in Broad Street, Oxford, England
The History of Science Museum is a museum on Broad Street in Oxford, England, housed in one of the oldest surviving purpose-built museum buildings in the world. Its galleries display scientific instruments spanning from medieval times to the 19th century, arranged across several floors of the building.
The building opened in 1683 as the Ashmolean Museum, making it the oldest surviving museum structure built for that purpose in the world. In the 20th century, it was repurposed to house the history of science collection, which had grown steadily within the University of Oxford.
The collection brings together astronomical instruments from Europe and the Islamic world, showing how scientific knowledge traveled across cultures and continents. Visitors can trace these connections through objects that reveal a shared human curiosity about the cosmos.
The museum is in the heart of Oxford city center, close to the Bodleian Library and other university buildings, making it easy to combine with a walk around the city. Wheelchair access is limited throughout the building, so visitors with mobility needs are advised to check ahead before planning a visit.
A blackboard in the collection still shows Einstein's handwritten equations from his 1931 lectures in Oxford, left exactly as he wrote them. The board was never wiped clean after those lectures, and it has remained on display in that state ever since.
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