Plan Your Visit
The Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments (CHSI) is located inside the Science Center on Harvard's Cambridge campus, at 1 Oxford Street.
The CHSI is one of the Harvard Museums of Science & Culture (HMSC).
General Admission
Free for all visitors
Directions and Parking
Hours
Open Sunday through Friday from 11:00am to 4:00pm.
Closed the following days:
- Wednesday, November 25, 2026 (day before Thanksgiving)
- Thursday, November 26, 2026 (Thanksgiving Day)
- Thursday, December 24, 2026 (Christmas Eve)
- Friday, December 25, 2026 (Christmas)
- Saturday, December 26, 2026
- Sunday, December 27, 2026
Friday, January 1, 2027 (New Year's Day)
The museum closes early on the following day:
- Tuesday, January 12, 2027 (at 3:00 pm)
Group Visits
Advance reservations are required. Learn about registration information for group visits.
Museum Policies
No eating or drinking in the galleries. Visitors carrying closed, screw-top water bottles may place them in the nearby holding area designated by the attendant. Other beverages will need to be consumed outside the gallery, or discarded prior to entry.
We offer a space for visitors to place backpacks and personal bags, but you may keep the item if you prefer. If you retain your bag, please wear it closely and be mindful of other visitors and the large items exhibited in the open. We do encourage you to leave any luggage to the side while viewing the gallery.
The galleries can accommodate a maximum of 20 visitors at any given time. Larger groups can be accommodated by appointment.
We welcome visitors of all ages and ask that all visitors refrain from touching the collections.
Our gallery is small, so we may need to sequence access to the space by people with strollers or rigid baby carriers. If you bring one of these into the gallery, please be mindful of the large items we have exhibited in the open. Despite being large, many of these instruments are delicate and easily damaged.
Personal photography is permitted; however, the use of flash, tripods, or selfie sticks is not allowed. Commercial photography or video cameras are not permitted without prior written permission.
Drawing is permitted in the galleries, but the use of easels, and materials such as clay, paints, pastels, and chalk is not allowed.
- The Harvard Museums of Science & Culture are committed to creating an environment where every visitor feels welcomed and respected. Our dedicated staff and volunteers are here to make your visit safe and enjoyable. Abusive, harassing, discriminatory, or threatening language or behavior toward volunteers, staff, or other visitors will not be tolerated.
- Visitors agree to abide by the University’s Campus Use Rules, the guidelines on the museums’ websites, and all instructions posted in the museums or provided by staff and volunteers during the visit. If a visitor or member of their party fails to follow the University and/or museums’ guidelines and instructions, they may be denied entry or required to leave the premises.
These policies are subject to change or reevaluation.
Contact us at hmsc@hmsc.harvard.edu or 617-496-1638 with questions or for additional assistance before you arrive.
Harvard Museums of Science & Culture Map
Explore the galleries of the Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments, the Harvard Museum of Natural History, the Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology, and the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East. All four Harvard Museums of Science & Culture are within a five-minute walk of each other.