Glass blower

Science Under Glass

Closed September 18, 2016
Online

The unique properties of glass—transparency, heat resistance, non-reactivity and malleability—make it an essential material in the laboratory. This exhibit showed a selection from the museum’s collection of more than 1,000 scientific glassware pieces, from the 1770s to the 1970s, revealing the underlying story of the eventual development of the domestic glass industry and laboratory science in America. 

About the Artifact Walls

Artifact walls, consisting of 275 linear feet of glass-fronted cases lining the central first and second floors, highlight the depth and breadth of the collections. They reflect the Museum's core mission to collect, study, and exhibit objects from our nation's rich and diverse history. This display was one of the special cases that highlight anniversaries, views into the collections, and research findings.