Whipple Museum of the History of Science
| Whipple Museum of the History of Science | |
|
Cambridgeshire | |
|---|---|
 Whipple Museum of the History of Science | |
| Type: | University museum |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | TL44925818 |
| Location: | 52°12’10"N, -0°7’9"E |
| City: | Cambridge |
| History | |
| Address: | New Museums Site, Free School Lane |
| Built 1944 | |
| University museum | |
| Information | |
| Owned by: | University of Cambridge |
| Website: | whipplemuseum.cam.ac.uk/ |
The Whipple Museum of the History of Science is a Museum attached to the University of Cambridge, and stands at the New Museums Site, in the former Perse School, on Free School Lane in Cambridge.
The museum houses an extensive collection of scientific instruments, apparatus, models, pictures, prints, photographs, books and other material related to the history of science. The museum was founded in 1944, when Robert Whipple presented his collection of scientific instruments to the University of Cambridge. The Museum's collection is designated by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council as being of "national and international importance".[1]
The Museum is one of eight museums in the University of Cambridge Museums consortium.[2]
The Museum forms part of the Department of History and Philosophy of Science. The Department includes a working library with a large collection of early scientific books, some of which were given by Robert Whipple. The Museum plays an important part in the Department's teaching and research.
Collections
The museum's holdings are particularly strong in material dating from the 17th to the 19th centuries, especially objects produced by British instrument makers, although the collection contains objects dating from the mediæval period to the present day. Instruments of astronomy, navigation, surveying, drawing and calculating are well represented, as are sundials, mathematical instruments and early electrical apparatus.
Since Robert Whipple's initial gift of the collection, the Museum has come to house many instruments formerly used in the Colleges and Departments of the University of Cambridge.
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See also
- Museum of the History of Science, Oxford: the equivalent institution within the University of Oxford
Outside links
- The Whipple Museum
- Department of History and Philosophy of Science
- University of Cambridge libraries and museums information