Museums Directory
Following is a list of historical museums of science and/or technology, limited to those that make a special point of being accessible to scholars. Their facilities vary widely, but in general they have significant documented collections and knowledgable curators. Details are generally available on their websites, yet often difficult to find. For this reason, for each museum we have provided a "Comments" link for help in finding "Research Resources." In most instances these comments have been made after a dutiful survey of the museum's website. More information will be gratefully received, and posted, from the museums or from knowledgeble visitors.
A second link is in the process of being developed for exhibits that are notable for exceptionally good use of objects in support of their arguments. If you would like to nominate an exhibit, more information is available here. An example of what we have in mind can be seen in the entry for the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum below.
An attempt has been made to classify the museums by type--which is not always easy--and this is indicated in [square brackets]. A separate listing has been made according to these types.
Although considerable effort has gone into this compilation, there are bound to be errors of inclusion and exclusion. Additions, corrections and comments are welcome; they are very important if it is to be truly useful.
There are many remarkable musems that are not in this directory. The excluson is because they did not seem to fit our requirement of having significant research facilities. We are happy to be proven wrong and welcome further nominations. For convenience, a survey has been made of other compilations, and links to what seem to be the most valuable lists are included under our directory by type.
You are urged to contribute to this effort by writing to Bernard Finn at finnb@si.edu.
Directory of Museums of Science/Technology with Historical Collections (by Country)
Argentina
Museum of Medicine and Surgery History Vicente Aníbal Risolía, Facultad de Medicina U de BA 2155 Paraguay Street 15th floor,Buenos Aires, 1114, Argentina, www.fmed.uba.ar//museos/risolia/maini.htm [Medicine, University]
Comments: Research Resources
Australia
Comments: Research Resources
Macleay Museum, University of Sydney; Gosper Lane; Camperdown, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia, http://sydney.edu.au/museums/collections/macleay.shtml [University, Instruments]
Comments: Research Resources
Museum Victoria (Melbourne Museum), 11 Nicholson St, Melbourne, VIC, 3053, http://museumvictoria.com.au [General]
Comments: Research Resources
National Museum of Australia, Lawson Crescent Acton Peninsula (GPO Box 1901), Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia, www.nma.gov.au/exhibitions/index.html [General]
Comments: Research Resources
Powerhouse Museum, PO Box K346, Haymarket, NSW, 1238, Australia, https://maas.museum/powerhouse-museum/ [General]
Comments: Research Resources
Western Australian Museum—Maritime, Victoria Quay, Fremantle, Western Australia, Australia, http://museum.wa.gov.au/museums/wa-maritime-museum [Maritime]
Comments: Research Resources
Austria
Technisches Museum, Mariahilferstrasse 212, Vienna, A-1140, Austria, www.tmw.at [General]
Comments: Research Resources
Belgium
Musée des Instruments de Musique, Montagne de la Cour 2, Brussels, 1000, Belgium, www.mim.be/museum [Music]
Comments: Research Resources
Musée Royal de l’Armée et d’Histoire Militaire, Parc du Cinquantenaire 3, Brussels, 1000, Belgium, www.klm-mra.be [Military]
Comments: Research Resource
Bermuda
Bermuda Maritime Museum, Royal Naval Dockyard, Bermuda, www.bmm.bm [Maritime]
Comments: Research Resources
Bulgaria
National Museum of Military History, 92 Cherkovna str., Sofia, 1505, Bulgaria, www.militarymuseum.bg [Military]
Comments: Research Resources
Canada
Canada Aviation and Space Museum, 11 Aviation Parkway, Ottawa, ON, K1K 4R3, Canada, www.aviation.technomuses.ca [Air, Space]
Comments: Research Resources
Canada Science and Technology Museum, 1867 St. Laurent Blvd., Ottawa, ON, K1G 5A3, Canada, www.sciencetech.technomuses.ca [General]
Comments: Research Resources
Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston, 55 Ontario Street, Kingston, ON, K7L 2Y2, Canada, www.marmuseum.ca [Maritime]
Comments: Research Resources
Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, 1675 Lower Water Street, Halifax, NS, B3J 1S3, Canada, https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca [Maritime]
Comments: Research Resources
Musée Ferroviaire Canadiene, 110 rue Saint-Pirre, Saint-Constant, QC, J5A 1G7, Canada, www.exporail.org [Rail]
Comments: Research Resources
Museum of Health Care, 32 George Street, Kingston, Ontario, K7L 2V7, Canada www.museumofhealthcare.ca/ [Medicine]
Comments: Research Resources
Nova Scotia Museum of Industry, 147 North Foord St, Stellerton, NS, BOK 1SO, Canada, https://museumofindustry.novascotia.ca [Industry]
Comments: Research Resources
University of Toronto Museum of Scientific Instruments, Room 316 Victoria College 91 Charles Street West, Toronto, ON, M5S 1K7, Canada, https://utsic.escalator.utoronto.ca/home/ [University]. Instruments]
Comments: Research Resources
York University Computer Museum, Dept of Computer Science and Engineering; York University, Toronto, ON, M3J 1P3, Canada, www.cse.yorku.ca/museum/ [Computers, University]
Comments: Research Resources
Chile
Museo Maritimo Nacional, Paseo 21 de Mayo No. 45; Cerro Artilera, Valparaiso, Chile, http://www.southamerica.cl/Chile/valparaiso/museo-maritimo-nacional.htm
Comments: Research Resources
China
Hong Kong Maritime Museum, Central Ferry Pier No. 8, Hong Kong, China, www.hkmaritimemuseum.org [Maritime]
Comments: Research Resources
Palace Museum; Scientific Instrument and Clock Hall, 4 Dongcheng, Beijing, China
http://en.dpm.org.cn/[Instruments, Clocks]
Comments: Research Resources
Czech Republic
Narodni Technicke Muzeum, Kostelni 42, Praha, 17078, Czech Republic, http://www.ntm.cz/en [General]
Comments: Research Resources
Voyenský Historický Ústav (Military Historical Institute), Prague, Czech Republic, http://www.vhu.cz/english-summary/ [Military]
Denmark
Danish Maritime Museum, Kronborg Castle, Elsinore, Denmark, http://mfs.dk/en/ [Maritime]
Comments: Research Resources
Danmarks Jernbanemuseet (Denmark Railway Museum), Solvgade 40, København, K, 1349, Denmark, www.jernbanemuseet.dk [Rail]
Comments: Research Resources
Danmarks Tekniske Museum, 0le Romers Vej, Helsingor, 3000, Denmark, www.tekniskmuseum.dk [General]
Medicinsk Museion Københavns Universitet, Bredgade 62, København, K, DK-1260, Denmark, www.museion.ku.dk [Medicine, University]
Comments: Research Resources
France
Musée de l’Armée / Musée National d’Armes et d’Histoire Militaire, Hôtel national des Invalides 129 rue de Grenelle, Paris, 75007, France, www.musee-armee.fr/ [Military]
Musée des Arts et Métiers, 292 Rue Saint Martin, Paris, 75003, France, www.arts-et-metiers.net/musee. [General]
Comments: Research Resources
Germany
Bayerisches Armeemuseum Ingolstadt, Neues Schloss Paradeplatz 4, Ingolstadt, 85049, Germany, www.bayerisches-armeemuseum.de [Military]
Comments:
Das Deutsches Uhrenmuseum, Robert-Gerwig-Platz 1, Furtwangen, 78120, Germany, www.deutsches-uhrenmuseum.de [Clocks]
Comments: Research Resources
Deutsche Bahn Museum, Lessingstraße 6, Nürnberg, 90443, Germany, www.dbmuseum.de [Rail]
Deutsches Hygiene Museum, Lingnerpl 1, Dresden, 1069, Germany, www.dhmd.de [Medicine]
Comments: Research Resources
Deutsches Medizin-Historisches Museum, Anatomiestr 18/20, Ingolstadt, 85049, Germany, www.dmm-ingolstadt.de [Medicine]
Deutsches Museum von Meisterwerken der Naturwissenschaft und Technik, Museumsinsel 1, München, 80538, Germany, www.deutsches-museum.de [General]
Comments: Research Resources
Deutsches Teknikmuseum, Trebbiner Straße 9, Berlin-Kreuzberg, 10963, Germany, www.sdtb.de/Home.623.0.html [General]
Ernst-Haeckel Haus, Universität Jena; Berggasse 7, Jena, 7745, Germany, www.ehh.uni-jena.de/Museum.html [Biography, Site]
Mathematisch-Physikalischer Salon, Zwinger; Theaterplatz 1, Dresden, 01067, Germany, https://mathematisch-physikalischer-salon.skd.museum/ [Instruments]
Militärhistorisches Museum, Olbrichtplatz 2, Dresden, 1099, Germany, www.mgfa.de/html/museen_dresden_2005.php [Military]
Museum für Musikinstrumente der Universität Leipzig, Johannisplatz 5-11, Leipzig, 4103, Germany, http://mfm.uni-leipzig.de/dt/index.php [Music]
Comments: Research Resources
Musikinstrumenten-Museum, Tiergartenstrasse 1 (enter Ben Gurian Strasse, Berlin, 10785, Germany, www.sim.spk-berlin.de/mim_3.html [Music]
Otto-Lilienthal-Museum, Ellbogenstraße 1, Anklam, 17389, Germany, www.lilienthal-museum.de/olma/intro.htm [Air]
Comments: Research Resources
Hungary
National Museum for Science and Technology, Kaposvar u.13-15, Budapest, H-1117, Hungary [General]
http://www.museum.hu/museum/64/Hungarian_Museum_for_Science_Technology_and_Transport_-_Technological_Study_Store
Comments: Research Resources
Semmelweis Orvostoerteneti Muzeum (Archive for the History of Medicine), Koenyvtar es Leveltar; Aprod u 1-3, Budapest, H-1013, Hungary, www.semmelweis.museum.hu [Medicine, Biography]
Italy
Museo di Storia della Scienza e della Tecnica Leonardo da Vinci, Via S. Vittore 21, Milan, 20123, Italy, www.museoscienza.org [General]
Comments: Research Resources
Museo di Strumenti Musicali dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Parco della Musica; vialle de Coubertin, Rome, 196, Italy, http://museo.santacecilia.it/museo/ [Music]
Comments: Research Resources
Museo Galileo (Instituto e Museo di Storia della Scienza), Piazza dei Giudici 1, Florence, 50122, Italy, www.museogalileo.it/en [General]
Comments: Research Resources
Universita di Roma 'La Sapienza' Museo di Storia della Medicina, Facolta di Medicina e Chirurgia; Viale dell'Universita 34A, Rome, 1-00185, Italy, www.histmed.it [Medicine]
Comments: Research Resources
Japan
National Museum of Nature and Science, 7-20 Ueno Park; Taito-ku, Tokyo, 110-8718, Japan, www.kahaku.go.jp/english [General]
Comments: Research Resources
Macau
Museu Maritimo, 1 Largo do Pagode da Barra, Macau, www.museumaritimo.gov.mo/index_e.html [Maritime]
Netherlands
Museum Boerhaave, Lange St Agnietenstr 10, Leiden, NL-2312 WC, Netherlands, www.museumboerhaave.nl [General]
Teylers Museum, Spaame 16, Haarlem, 2011, Netherlands, www.teylersmuseum.nl [Instruments, Site]
Comments: Research Resources
Norway
Norsk Teknisk Museum, Kjelsasvn, Oslo, 491, Norway, www.tekniskmuseum.no [General]
Comment: Research Resources
Serbia
Military Museum, Kalemegdan bb, Belgrade, 11000, Serbia, www.muzej.mod.gov.rs/en [Military]
Comments: Research Resources
Museum of Science & Technology, Skender-begova 51, Belgrade, 11000, Serbia, www.muzejnt.rs [General]
Tesla Museum, Krunska 51, Belgrade, 11000, Serbia, http://www.nikolateslamuseum.org/web/index.php?l=en [Biography]
Comments: Research Resources
South Africa
Adler Museum of the History of Medicine, University of the Witwatersrand; POB 1038, Johannesburg, 2000, South Africa, https://www.wits.ac.za/health/adlermuseum/ [Medicine]
Spain
Fundacio-Museu d'Historia de la Medicina deCatalunya, Passeig del Comte d’Egara, 22, Terrassa, 8221, Spain, www.museudelamedicina.cat [Medicine]
Comments: Research Resources
Museo de la Cienca i de la Tecnica de Catalunya, Rambla d´Ègara 270, Terrassa, 8221, Spain, www.mnactec.cat [General]
Museo del ferrocarril, Pº. de las Delicias 61, Madrid, 28045, Spain, www.museodelferrocarril.org [Rail]
Museo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia, Paseo de las Delicias 61, Madrid, 28045, Spain, www.muncyt.es [General]
Museo Naval, Kaiko pasealekua 24 , Donostia (Gipuzkoa), 20003, Spain, www.untzimuseoa.net [Naval]
Comments: Research Resources
Sweden
Nobelmuseet, Stortorget 2, Gamla Stan, Stockholm, Sweden, http://www.nobelmuseum.se [history of science]
Comments: Research Resources
Observatoriemuseet, Drottninggaten 120, Stockholm, 113 60, Sweden, http://www.observatoriet.kva.se [Astronomy, Site]
Sjohistoriska Museet, Djurgårdsbrunnsvägen 24, Stockholm, 102 52, Sweden, www.sjohistoriska.se/en [Maritime]
Comments: Research Resources
Tekniska Museet, Museivägen 7, Stockholm, 115 93, Sweden, www.tekniskamuseet.se [General]
Comments: Research Resources
Vasamuseet, Galärvarvsvägen 14; Djurgården, Stockholm, 102 52, Sweden, www.vasamuseet.se [Maritime]
Comments: Research Resources
Switzerland
Museum of History of Science, Ministry of Art and History, Geneva, Switzerland, www.ville-ge.ch/mhs [Instruments]
Comments: Research Resources
United Kingdom
Blists Hill Open Air Museum lronbridge Gorge Museum, Telford, Shropshire, TF8 7AW, UK, www.ironbridge.org.uk [Iron, Site]
Cambridge Museum of Technology, Cambridge, UK, www.museumoftechnology.com/index.html [General]
Dundee University Museum Collections, Dundee, Scotland, UK, www.dundee.ac.uk/museum/ [University]
Comments: Research Resources
Hunterian Museum, University Avenue; University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Strathclyde, G 12 800, UK, www.gla.ac.uk/hunterian [University, Instruments]
Comments: Research Resources
Imperial War Museum, London, UK, www.iwm.org.uk [Military]
Comments: Research Resources
Kelham Island Museum, Alma Street, Sheffield, S3 8RY, UK, www.simt.co.uk/kelham-island-museum/plan-your-visit [Industry]
Comments: Research Resources
Museum of the History of Science, Broad Street, Oxford, OX1 3AZ, UK, www.mhs.ox.ac.uk [General]
Comments: Research Resources
National Army Museum, London, UK, https://www.nam.ac.uk [Military]
Comments: Research Resources
National Maritime Museum, Romney Rd, Greenwich, UK, www.rmg.co.uk [Maritime]
Comments: Research Resources
National Media Museum, Bradford, UK, www.nationalmediamuseum.org.uk [Photography, Motion Pictures, Television]
Comments: Research Resources
National Museums Scotland, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK, www.nms.ac.uk [General]
Comments: Research Resources
National Railway Museum, York, UK, www.nrm.org.uk [Rail, Site]
Comments: Research Resources
National Slate Museum: Wales, Llanberis, Gwynedd, Wales, LL55 4TY, UK, www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/slate/ [Industry, Slate, Site]
Comments: Research Resources
National Waterfront Museum: Wales, Oystermouth Road; Maritime Quarter, Swansea, Wales, SA1 3RD, UK, www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/swansea/about/ [Maritime, Industry]
Comments: Research Resources
National Wool Museum: Wales, Dre-Fach Felindre; Llandysul, Carmarthenshire, Wales, SA44 5UP, UK, www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/wool/ [Industry, Wool]
Comments: Research Resources
Old Operating Theatre Museum & Herb Garret, St Thomas's Church; 9A St Thomas's Street, London, SE1 9RT, UK, www.thegarret.org.uk [Medicine, Site]
Porthcurno Telegraph Museum, Eastern House, Porthcurno; Penzance, Cornwall, TR19 6JX, UK, www.porthcurno.org.uk [Telegraph, Site]
Comments: Research Resources
Royal Academy of Music Museum, Marlebone Road, London, NW1 5HT, UK, www.ram.ac.uk/museum [Music]
Comments: Research Resources
Royal Armouries; Fort Nelson, Portsdown Hill Rd, Fareham, PO17 6AN, UK, www.royalarmouries.org/visit-us/fort-nelson [Military]
Comments: Research Resources
Royal Armouries; Leeds, Leeds, UK, www.royalarmouries.org/visit-us/leeds [Military]
Comments: Reserch Resources
Royal Armouries; Tower of London, London, UK, www.royalarmouries.org/visit-us/tower-of-london [Military]
Comments: Research Resources
Royal Naval Museum; Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, Victory Gate HM Naval Base, Portsmouth, PO1 3LJ, UK, www.nmrn-portsmouth.org.uk [Naval]
Comments: Research Resources
Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, 1 Lambeth High Street, London, SE1 7 JN, UK, www.rpharms.com/about-pharmacy/our-museum.asp [Pharmaceutical]
Science Museum, Exhibition Road; South Kensington, London, SW7 2DD, UK, www.nmsi.ac.uk [General]
Comments: Research Resources
Scottish Maritime Museum, Irvine, Scotland, UK, www.scottishmaritimemuseum.org [Maritime]
Comments: Research Resources
St Bartholomew's Hospital Museum, St Bartholomew's Hospital; West Smithfield, London, EC1A 7BE, UK, https://bartshealth.nhs.uk/st-bartholomews-museum-and-archives [Medicine]
Thackray Medical Museum, 131 Beckett Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS9M 7LP, UK, http://www.thackraymedicalmuseum.co.uk/ [Medicine]
Comments: Research Resources
Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine, 183 Euston Rd., London, NW1 2BE, UK, www.wellcomecollection.org [Medicine]
Comments: Research Resources
Whipple Museum of the History of Science, Free School Lane, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB2 3RH, UK, www.hps.cam.ac.uk/whipple [University, Instruments]
Comments: Research Resources
United States
Adler Planetarium, Chicago, IL, US, www.adlerplanetarium.org [Astronomy]
Antique Wireless Association Electronic-Communication Museum, Bloomfield, NY, US, www.antiquewireless.org [Radio]
B&O Railroad Museum, 901 West Pratt Street, Baltimore, MD, 21223, US, www.borail.org [Rail, Site]
Comments: Research Resources
Bakken Library and Museum, Minneapolis, NY, US, www.thebakken.org[Electricity]
Comments: Research Resources
Baltimore Museum of Industry, 1415 Key Highway, Baltimore, MD, 21230, US, www.thebmi.org [Industry]
Comments: Research Resources
California State Railroad Museum, 125 I Street, Sacramento, CA, 95814, US, www.csrmf.org [Rail]
Comments: Research Resources
Columbia River Maritime Museum, 1792 Marine Drive, Astoria, OR, 97103, US, www.crmm.org [Maritime]
Computer History Museum, 1401 N. Shoreline Blvd., Mountain View, CA, 94043, US, www.computerhistory.org [Computer]
Comments: Research Resources
Dittrick Museum of Medical History, 11000 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH, US, www.case.edu/artsci/dittrick/museum [Medicine]
Comments: Research Resources
Dr. Samuel D.Harris National Museum of Dentistry, 21 South Greene St., Baltimore, MD, 21201, US, www.historyofdentistry.org/museum/ [Dental]
Edison & Ford Winter Estates, Fort Myers, FL, US, www.efwefla.org [Biography, Site]
Comments: Research Resources
Edison National Historic Site, West Orange, NJ, US, www.nps.gov/edis [Biography, Site]
Harvard University Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments, Cambridge, MA, US, http://chsi.harvard.edu/ [University, Instruments]
Comments: Research Resources
Henry Ford Museum, Dearborn, MI, US, https://www.thehenryford.org/ [General]
Comments: Research Resources
Independence Seaport Museum, Penn's Landing, Philadelphia, PA, 19106, US, www.phillyseaport.org [Maritime]
Comments: Research Resources
Maine Maritime Museum, 243 Washington Street, Bath, ME, 4530, US, www.mainemaritimemuseum.org [Maritime]
Comments: Research Resources
Mariners' Museum, 100 Museum Drive, Newport News, VA, 23606, US, www.marinersmuseum.org [Maritime]
Comments: Research Resources
MIT Museum, Cambridge, MA, US, http://mitmuseum.mit.edu/ [University]
Comments: Research Resources
Museum of Flight, 9404 East Marginal Way S, Seattle, WA 98108 (www.museumofflight.org) [Air]
Comments: Research Resources
Museum of the Moving Image, Astoria, NY, US, www.movingimage.us [Motion Pictures, Television]
Comments: Research Resources
Mystic Seaport, 75 Greenmanville Avenue 06355, Mystic, CT, 6355, US, www.mysticseaport.org [Maritime]
Comments: Research Resources
National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC, DC, US, www.airandspace.si.edu [Air, Space]
Comments: Research Resources; Exhibits
National Electronics Museum, Baltimore, MD, US, www.nationalelectronicsmuseum.org [Electronics, Radar]
Comments: Research Resources
National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, MD, 20560, US, www.americanhistory.si.edu [General]
Comments: Research Resources
National Museum of the US Air Force, 1100 Spaatz St, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH, 45433, US, www.nationalmuseum.af.mil [Air]
Natonal Museum of Civil War Medicine, 48 East Patrick Street, Frederick, MD, 21705, US, www.civilwarmed.org [Medicine]
Comments: Research Resources
New Bedford Whaling Museum, 18 Johhny Cake Hill, New Bedford, MA, 2740, US, www.whalingmuseum.org/ [Maritime]
Comments: Research Resources
San Diego Air & Space Museum, Balboa Park, San Diego, CA, 92101, www.sandiegoairandspace.org [Air, Space]
Comments: Research Resources
San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, 499 Jefferson Street, San Francisco, CA, 94109, US, www.nps.gov/safr/index.htm [Maritime]
Comments: Research Resources
Science History Institute, 315 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19106, US, https://www.sciencehistory.org/ [Chemistry, Life Sciences]
Comments: Research Resources
South Carolina Museum, Columbia, SC, 24503, US, http://scmuseum.org/ [General]
Western Reserve Historical Society, 10825 East Boulevard, Cleveland, OH, 4106, US, www.wrhs.org [Automobiles, Air]
Comments: Research Resources