Exhibitions

Harvard has a rich history of scholarly contributions to the various natural, physical, and social sciences. "Time, Life, & Matter..." features many important instruments that helped make those contributions possible.

Revolutionary Technology is a new exhibit marking the 250th Anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence, on view in Science Center 371 at 1 Oxford Street. The exhibit is open Monday through Friday, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.

Today, measurement is everywhere. We understand everything around us in inches, degrees, gallons, decibels, and more. Scientific instruments help us record precise measurements of what surrounds us—from land and sea to flora and fauna, human activity and productivity, and even human bodies. We measure what we can touch and see, as well as things we can’t, like stress and pain.

This exhibition invites the viewer to explore the role Sigmund Freud’s sketches and drawings played in the development of his psychoanalytic theories.

Mark I was designed in 1937 by Harvard graduate student Howard H. Aiken to solve advanced mathematical physics problems encountered in his research. Aiken’s ambitious proposal envisioned the use of modified, commercially-available technologies coordinated by a central control system.

The Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments is made up of over 20,000 objects, many with associated documentation. In an effort to provide greater access to these important objects and records, Collection staff have instituted the use of a state-of-the-art data management system, including an exciting online component called Waywiser.