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Museum of the History of Science

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The Museum of the History of Science houses an unrivalled collection of early scientific instruments in the world’s oldest surviving purpose-built museum building, the Old Ashmolean on Broad Street, Oxford. We are both a department of the University of Oxford and an active public museum, offering a programme of family-friendly events, gallery tours, table talks and much more, along with taught sessions for schools.

Series associated with Museum of the History of Science

Behind the Scenes at the Oxford University Museums
The History of Science Museum
# Episode Title Description People Date
34 Mobile in Museums Theodore Koterwas, Mobile Development Team Lead, IT Services, gives a short talk for Oxford University Museums Staff Conference Theodore Koterwas 31 Oct 2016
33 Celebrating Diversity: An LGBTQ+ Tour of Oxford University’s Museums and Collections Beth Asbury, Assistant to the Director and Administration Team, Pitt Rivers Museum, gives a short talk for Oxford University Museums Staff Conference. Beth Asbury 31 Oct 2016
32 Quantifying and Mitigating Human Generated Vibration in Museum Exhibits Daniel Bone, Deputy Head of Conservation, Ashmolean Museum, gives a short talk for Oxford University Museums Staff Conference. Daniel Bone 31 Oct 2016
31 Interacting with Artefacts, Oxfordshire Collections Project Stephen Barker, Oxfordshire County Council Museums Service, gives a short talk for Oxford University Museums Staff Conference. Stephen Barker 31 Oct 2016
30 A year in the Zoology Collection Mark Carnall, Collections Manager (Life Collections), Museum of Natural History gives a short talk for the Oxford University Museums Staff Conference. Mark Carnall 21 Oct 2016
29 Memories under the microscope: collaborations between Oxford University Partnership Museums and University of Oxford research departments Helen Fountain, Reminiscence Officer, Oxford University Museums and Kate Hamblin, Senior Research Fellow, University of Oxford Institute for Population Ageing give a short talk for the Oxford University Museums Staff Conference. Kate Hamblin, Helen Fountain 21 Oct 2016
28 VERVE: Connecting the public with displays at the Pitt Rivers Museum Beth McDougall and Madeleine Ding, VERVE Team, Pitt Rivers Museum give a short talk for the Oxford University Museums Staff Conference. Beth McDougall, Madeleine Ding 21 Oct 2016
27 Joint Museums Youth Forum Project Sarah Lloyd and Carly Smith-Huggins, Education Officers, Museum of Natural History give a short talk for the Oxford University Museums Staff Conference. Sarah Lloyd, Carly Smith-Huggins 21 Oct 2016
26 Cabinet: Integrating Text and Object in Oxford Teaching Giovanna Vitelli, Director, University Engagement Programme, Ashmolean Museum gives a short talk for Oxford University Museums Staff Conference. Giovanna Vitelli 21 Oct 2016
25 Why community groups work with museums Nicola Bird, Community Engagement Officer, Oxford University Museums gives a short talk for the Oxford University Museums Staff Conference. Nicola Bird 21 Oct 2016
24 Discussing Penicillin Marie-Louise Kerr, Penicillin Exhibition Curator, Museum of the History of Science gives a short talk for the Oxford University Museums Staff Conference. Marie-Louise Kerr 21 Oct 2016
23 Transportation Transformation Andrew Hughes, Move Project Team Leader, Pitt Rivers Museum, gives a short talk for the Oxford University Museums Staff Conference. Andrew Hughes 21 Oct 2016
22 Dodo Roadshow Scott Billings, Digital Engagement Officer, Museum of Natural History gives a short talk for Oxford University Museums Staff Conference. Scott Billings 21 Oct 2016
21 Creative Commons The Oxford Philosophical Society and the Royal Society: a meeting of minds? Dr Anna Marie Roos gives a talk as part of the Museum's celebration of the 35th anniversary of the Royal Society. Anna Marie Roos 24 Jul 2013
20 Creative Commons Who's to Blame for the Weather? Professor Allen of the Oxford University Environmental Change Institute discusses one of the most pressing issues of the modern day - Climate Change. Myles Allen 08 Apr 2013
19 Creative Commons Body Clocks, Sleep and Light Russell Foster explains the role of light in regulating our bodies and discusses the implications of today's almost constant exposure to light. Russell Foster 08 Apr 2013
18 Creative Commons The Invention of Clouds Writer Richard Hamblyn revisits his first book about the 19th-century amateur meteorologist Luke Howard who gave the clouds the names we use today. Richard Hamblyn 11 Mar 2013
17 Creative Commons Stormy Weather: Exploring Atmospheres in the Outer Solar System Leigh Fletcher (Dept. of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Planetary Physics, University of Oxford) talks about current research on the weather of other planets. Leigh Fletcher 11 Mar 2013
16 Creative Commons Decimalising Time: Calendar and Clocks in the French Revolution Dr Matthew Shaw, British Library, talks about the extraordinary revisions of time measurement adopted in the French Revolution. Matthew Shaw 02 Jul 2012
15 Creative Commons Mercator: The Man who Mapped the Planet Geographer, explorer, writer and broadcaster Nicholas Crane talks about the inspirations behind his book on Gerard Mercator. Nicholas Crane 02 Jul 2012
14 Creative Commons Simon Forman: astrology, Medicine and Quackery in Elizabethan England The third in a series of public lectures linked to the Museum's 'Eccentricity' exhibition. Lauren Kassell 26 Oct 2011
13 From Alligator Wrestling to Fossil Skeletons: Scientific Eccentricity in the Early 19th Century Dr Vicky Carroll talks about the eccentric tendencies of early 19th-century natural historians. Whether hunting for fossils or wrestling alligators, these scientists certainly had an active interest in their field work! Vicky Carroll 20 Sep 2011
12 Crackpots and Eggheads: Eccentricity in Natural History In the first in a series of 'Eccentricity' lectures, Dr Brian Regal talks about the search for 'monsters', in particular the hunt for Sasquatch or 'Bigfoot', and the "crackpot" natural historians who were obsessed with the search. Brian Regal 28 Jul 2011
11 Al-Mizan: Astrolabes in Cultural Context A public lecture by Dr. Silke Ackermann, Curator of European and Islamic scientific instruments at the British Museum. Part of the Al-Mizan exhibition which explores the connections between the sciences and arts in Muslim societies. Silke Ackermann 06 Apr 2011
10 Al-Mizan: Mapping the Earth in Medieval Islam A public lecture by Professor Emilie Savage-Smith, FBA, Emeritus Professor of the History of Islamic Science, University of Oxford. Part of the Al-Mizan exhibition which explores the connections between the sciences and arts in Muslim societies. Emilie Savage Smith 06 Apr 2011
9 Creative Commons Interview: Peter Scott on Marconi and Radio Manufacturing Professor Peter Scott discusses his research into competitive advantage and innovation in the interwar British radio industry using the Marconi Archive, Britain's most extensive and important archive for the radio and related industries. Peter Scott, Jim Bennett 01 Apr 2011
8 Creative Commons Radio Manufacturing in the Interwar Years Professor Peter Scott (University of Reading) presents the inaugural Douglas Byrne Marconi Lecture based on his research on Marconi and radio manufacturing between the World Wars. Peter Scott 01 Apr 2011
7 The Museum of the History of Science: An Introduction Short video presented by Jim Bennett, Director of the Museum of the History of Science, looking into the history of the museum and some of its curiosities. Jim Bennett 10 Dec 2009
6 Einstein's Blackboard Jim Bennett, Director of the Museum of the History of Science, talks about one of the museum's prized exhibits, a blackboard Albert Einstein used in a lecture he gave to the university in 1931. Jim Bennett 10 Dec 2009
5 Steampunk Exhibition Short video about the Steampunk exhibition, from the Museum of the History of Science until February 2010 with the museum's director, Jim Bennett, explaining the various exhibits. Jim Bennett 10 Dec 2009
4 Telescopes Now Lecture 4: The Pierre Auger Observatory In the fourth and final lecture in the 'Telescopes Now' series, Professor Alan Watson talks about his work at the Pierre Auger Cosmic Ray Observatory. Alan Watson 03 Mar 2009
3 Telescopes Now Lecture 3: The Gemini Telescopes In the third in a series of lectures by senior astronomers about recent developments in telescopes, Professor Roger Davies talks about his work on the Gemini Telescopes. Roger Davies 03 Mar 2009
2 Telescopes Now Lecture 2: Jodrell Bank, the Lovell Telescope and e-MERLIN In the second in a series of lectures by senior astronomers about recent developments in the telescope, Professor Phil Diamond talks about his work at Jodrell Bank on E-Merlin, and in particular the Lovell Telescope. Phil Diamond 03 Mar 2009
1 Telescopes Now Lecture 1: The William Herschel and the Hubble telescopes In the first in a series of lectures by senior astronomers about recent developments in telescopes, Professor Alexander Boksenberg talks about his work with the William Herschel and the Hubble telescopes. Alexander Boksenberg 03 Mar 2009