Visit Us

The Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments (CHSI) is located inside the Science Center on Harvard's Cambridge campus, at 1 Oxford Street, near the corner of Oxford and Kirkland Streets.

The CHSI is one of the four Harvard Museums of Science & Culture (HMSC). When planning your visit, we encourage you to read HMSC's Museum Visit Information.

PLEASE BE ADVISED: Due to ongoing building renovations, the CHSI Galleries will be closed today, Thursday, March 14. We apologize for any inconvenience this may engender. Please check out our online offerings, and plan to join us in person another time!

Hours

Open Sunday through Friday from 11:00am to 4:00pm.

 

CHSI galleries will close at 3:00pm on the following days:


Thursday, March 7, 2024
Tuesday, May 7, 2024

CHSI galleries will be closed altogether on the following days:

 
Wednesday, November 27, 2024 (day before Thanksgiving)
Thursday, November 28, 2024(Thanksgiving Day)
Saturday, December 21, 2024
Sunday, December 22, 2024
Monday, December 23, 2024
Tuesday, December 24, 2024 (Christmas Eve)
Wednesday, December 25, 2024 (Christmas)
Wednesday, January 1, 2025 (New Year's Day)
 

Admission is free.

Visitor Guidelines

  • 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.
     
  • Please place larger items, including umbrellas, briefcases, bags & backpacks (larger than 11 X 15 inches) in the nearby holding area as directed by the attendant, who will keep such items under surveillance. Smaller purses or backpacks may be retained if worn in front of the body or over the arm, and kept close to one’s side.
     
  • A maximum number of 10 persons is permitted in the galleries at any one time. Larger groups may be accommodated with an appointment.
     
  • Children under 12 years of age must be escorted by an adult.
    Please park rigid baby carriers outside the galleries.
     
  • 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.
     
  • Visitors agree to abide by these guidelines and by all instructions posted in the museum or provided by staff during the visit. If a visitor or member of their party fails to follow the museums’ guidelines and instructions, they may be denied entry or required to leave the premises.

Group Visits

While the Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments is available for small adult & young adult group visits, physical constraints limit the maximum of visitors in either of our galleries to 10 persons at any given time. Please be advised that while we can offer visitors a fascinating and insightful visit, ours is not a hands-on collection.

Contact the HMSC Group Reservations office for further information. Please register all group visits at least two weeks in advance. Due to small staff size, we may not be able to accommodate entry without advance registration.

Harvard Faculty who wish to schedule a class visit, please fill out our online Research Inquiry Request Form.

Accessibility

The CHSI is located within Harvard's Science Center, which has three accessible entrances:

  • The front entrance on the south side of the building (via the Science Center Plaza)
  • The Oxford Street entrance on the east side of the building (via a ramp ascending from Oxford Street)
  • The rear entrance on the north side of the building (via a walkway leading from the Littauer Parking Lot west of the building)

The Putnam Gallery (1st floor) and the Special Exhibitions Gallery (2nd floor), both near the Oxford Street entrance to the building, are wheelchair accessible. Access to the second floor may be gained via a bank of elevators located near the intersection of the first floor corridors.

Accessible restrooms are located on the basement level beneath the building's central atrium, via a bank of elevators located near the intersection of the first floor corridors.

The museum welcomes service dogs. Please note that emotional support animals and comfort animals are not permitted.

Accessible Parking: See instructions in the "Parking" section below.

Below is an interactive Google Map indicating the location of the Harvard Science Center, 1 Oxford Street. Both the Putnam and the Special Exhibition galleries are located just inside the Oxford Street entrance on the east side of the building.

Directions

Taking the MBTA (The T or Commuter Rail)

Taking the Subway (The T) 
This the best way to get to the CHSI. Take a Red Line train OUTBOUND from Boston or Alewife INBOUND to Harvard Square
(Alewife Station, located off Route 2 in Cambridge, has a garage with $9.00 all day parking ($3.00 on weekends) ) . The Harvard Square T station has multiple exits; take a Massachusetts Avenue exit. Once above ground, look for the Harvard Yard gates and walk diagonally (north-northeast) through Harvard Yard to the other side, and out the gates. The Science Center will be directly in front of you, with Memorial Hall on the right (the large, ornate, brick building with tower, home of Sanders Theater). Proceed into the Science Center, passing the Cabot Science Library and Clover Cafe on your right, until you approach a metal-clad guard desk at the corner of a corridor running along the east-west axis of the building. Turn right (east) at the desk, and proceed toward the glass doors at the far end of the corridor. After passing the Science Center courtyard, the entrance to The Putnam Gallery will be the first grey double doors on the right. Access to the The Special Exhibitions Gallery on the second floor will be up the double flight of stairs opposite from the Putnam Gallery entrance (There is also a bank of elevators directly opposite the aforementioned guard desk.).

Taking the MBTA Commuter Rail
Take the Fitchburg Line to the Porter Square stop. Exit the rail pad onto Somerville Avenue, the turn West, and turn left onto the Beacon Street bridge. Proceed approximately 100 yards south, then make a gentle right onto Oxford Street. Follow Oxford Street 3/4 of a mile to the Harvard Science Center, 1 Oxford Street (where Oxford Street intersects Kirkland Street at a right angle.). 
Enter the building on your right through the doors up the steps. The entrance to The Putnam Gallery will be the second grey double doors on the left. Access to the The Special Exhibitions Gallery on the second floor will be up the double flight of stairs opposite from the Putnam Gallery entrance (There is also a bank of elevators located down the corridor just past the Science Center courtyard.).

By Car from the North

By car from the north, take I-93 or Route 1 South toward Boston. Take the exit for Storrow Drive/Cambridge. Follow Storrow Drive west for approximately four miles. Stay in the right lane to avoid the many left exits off Storrow Drive. Take the Harvard Square/Cambridge exit. Cross the bridge over the Charles River into Cambridge, continuing straight through the first light onto JFK Street. At the fourth light, bear slightly to the right to pass through Harvard Square. The Harvard Coop is on the left and the Harvard Square T station is on the right. At the next light, the roadway dips downhill toward a fork. Bear left at the fork, then bear right at the next light to continue north on Massachusetts Avenue. Go approximately two-tenths of a mile past the Cambridge Common (on the left), and Harvard Law School (on the right), and turn right onto Everett Street. At the next set of lights, turn right on Oxford Street. The Science Center is located straight ahead at the corner where Oxford and Kirkland Streets intersect at a right angle. The entrance to The Putnam Gallery is located just inside the Oxford Street entrance to the building on the left. The Special Exhibitions Gallery is reached via the short flight of stairs nearby on the right. NOTE: There are a limited number of parking meters on Oxford Street.

By Car from the West

Take I-90 (Massachusetts Turnpike) east to the left exit for Cambridge/Allston and follow signs for Cambridge. At the end of the Turnpike exit, there is the ten-story DoubleTree Suites Hotel on the right. Begin to move to the left lane. There is a traffic light at the corner of the hotel and a bridge to Cambridge straight ahead. Do not take the bridge. At the light, take an immediate left onto an entrance ramp for Storrow Drive along the Boston side of the river. Follow Storrow Drive approximately a half-mile to the Harvard Square/Cambridge exit. Cross the bridge over the Charles River into Cambridge, continuing straight through the first light onto JFK Street. At the fourth light, bear slightly to the right to pass through Harvard Square. The Harvard Coop is on the left and the Harvard Square T station is on the right. At the next light, the roadway dips downhill toward a fork. Bear left at the fork, then bear right at the next light to continue north on Massachusetts Avenue. Go approximately two-tenths of a mile past the Cambridge Common (on the left), and Harvard Law School (on the right), and turn right onto Everett Street. At the next set of lights, turn right on Oxford Street. The Science Center is located straight ahead at the corner where Oxford and Kirkland Streets intersect at a right angle. The entrance to The Putnam Gallery is located just inside the Oxford Street entrance to the building on the left. The Special Exhibitions Gallery is reached via the short flight of stairs nearby on the right. NOTE: There are a limited number of parking meters on Oxford Street.

By Car from the South

From Route 3 or I-93 (South East Expressway) North, take the Storrow Drive exit to the Harvard Square/Cambridge Exit. Cross the bridge over the Charles River into Cambridge, continuing straight through the first light onto JFK Street. At the fourth light, bear slightly to the right to pass through Harvard Square. The Harvard Coop is on the left and the Harvard Square T station is on the right. At the next light, the roadway dips downhill toward a fork. Bear left at the fork, then bear right at the next light to continue north on Massachusetts Avenue. Go approximately two-tenths of a mile past the Cambridge Common (on the left), and Harvard Law School (on the right), and turn right onto Everett Street. At the next set of lights, turn right on Oxford Street. The Science Center is located straight ahead at the corner where Oxford and Kirkland Streets intersect at a right angle. The entrance to The Putnam Gallery is located just inside the Oxford Street entrance to the building on the left. The Special Exhibitions Gallery is reached via the short flight of stairs nearby on the right. NOTE: There are a limited number of parking meters on Oxford Street.

Parking in Harvard Square

The Harvard Square Hotel
110 Mount Auburn Street, Cambridge, Mass. 02138
617-864-5200

Parking at the Smith Campus Center
1350 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, Mass. 02138
(617) 496-7827

Harvard Square Parking Garage
20 Eliot St., Cambridge, Mass. 02138
617-354-4168

University Place Garage
124 Mount Auburn St, Cambridge, Mass. 02138
617-491-0801

Charles Square Garage (Charles Hotel)
1 Bennett St Cambridge, Mass. 02138
617-491-0298

Metered Parking

There are a limited number of two-hour metered spaces located on Oxford and Kirkland Streets. These meters only accept US quarters. After 8:00 pm the meters do not require coins but may be restricted to Cambridge residents. Parking is free on Sundays, and resident permits are not required. Please read the street signs carefully.

Harvard University Garages

One-day permits for Harvard University garages (including the nearest garage at 52 Oxford Street*) may be purchased via credit card by registering a Visitor Account at Harvard Online Parking Permit System on a space-available basis. For further questions about parking, call (617) 496-7827 or email parking@harvard.edu.
 

Accessible Parking

Accessible spaces are available at the Oxford Street Garage (52 Oxford Street). The clearance for accessible vehicles is eight feet two inches. The garage is 2 city blocks from the museum. Permits must be purchased online.

Before proceeding to the online form, please note the following:

  • First-time users must create a user name and password.
  • You must print out your parking permit.
  • License plate number is required.
  • Request a permit for the Oxford Street Garage, located at 52 Oxford Street.
  • Select the correct date (permits are not transferable).
  • Select "Museum Visitor" from the department drop down list.
  • The museum's department code is 6137.  

Purchase a parking permit