Science Under Glass

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

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 is one of the special cases that highlight anniversaries, views into the collections, and research findings.