The ''Musée d'histoire des sciences de la Ville de Genève'' (Museum of the History of Science of the City of Geneva) is a small museum in

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

dedicated to the

history of science The history of science covers the development of science from ancient times to the present. It encompasses all three major branches of science: natural, social, and formal. Science's earliest roots can be traced to Ancient Egypt and Meso ...

Location

The museum is located in the ''Villa Bartholoni'', designed by Félix-Emmanuel Callet, built in 1830 as a summer residence for Parisian bankers, Constant and Jean-François Bartholoni and extensively restored between 1985 and 1992. It is situated in the park ''La Perle du Lac'', overlooking

Lake Geneva , image = Lake Geneva by Sentinel-2.jpg , caption = Satellite image , image_bathymetry = , caption_bathymetry = , location = Switzerland, France , coords = , lake_type = Glacial lak ...

, adjacent to the

Conservatory and Botanical Garden of the City of Geneva The Conservatory and Botanical Garden of the city of Geneva () is a museum and an institution of the City of Geneva. Establishment and location It was founded in 1817 in a former area of ''Bastions Park'' in 1817 by Augustin Pyramus de Candoll ...

. Both the Villa and the museum itself are listed in the

Swiss Inventory of Cultural Property of National and Regional Significance #REDIRECT Swiss Inventory of Cultural Property of National and Regional Significance {{R from other capitalisation ...

Access

The Museum is open daily from 10am to 5pm, except for 25 December and 1 January and admission is free. The museum receives over 250,000 visitors per year.

History

The museum was established in 1964 by the enthusiasm of ' (the Museum and review of the History of Science Association), following an exhibition of science history at the

Musée Rath The Musée Rath is an art museum in Geneva, used exclusively for temporary exhibitions. Its building is the oldest purpose-built art museum in Switzerland, and the original home of Geneva's Musée d'Art et d'Histoire. It is located on Place Neu ...

. Once opened the Swiss Institute of Physics and Observatory donated their historic instruments to the collection. Early director, the astronomer Margarida Archinard, was succeeded by chemist, Marc Cramer. Jacques Ayer has been director since 2012. Initially affiliated to the Musée d'Art et d'Histoire, since 2006 the museum has been linked to the

Natural History Museum of Geneva The Natural History Museum of Geneva (in French: ') is a natural history museum in Geneva, Switzerland. Louis Jurine’s collections of Hymenoptera, Coleoptera, Lepidoptera and Hemiptera are held by the museum. Other displays include a ...

Collections and exhibits

The collections primarily comprise scientific measurement apparatus from the 17th-19th centuries including

microscope A microscope () is a laboratory instrument used to examine objects that are too small to be seen by the naked eye. Microscopy is the science of investigating small objects and structures using a microscope. Microscopic means being invisibl ...

telescope A telescope is a device used to observe distant objects by their emission, absorption, or reflection of electromagnetic radiation. Originally meaning only an optical instrument using lenses, curved mirrors, or a combination of both to observe ...

thermometer A thermometer is a device that temperature measurement, measures temperature or a temperature gradient (the degree of hotness or coldness of an object). A thermometer has two important elements: (1) a temperature sensor (e.g. the bulb of a merc ...

s, etc., principally the former equipment of Genevan scientists including Saussure, Pictet, de la Rive and Colladon. Displays include practical experiments within the building and some exhibits in the surrounding park.

References

External links

* * {{Authority control Museums in Geneva

Geneva Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevra ; rm, Genevra is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and the most populous city of Romandy, the French-speaki ...

Cultural property of national significance in the canton of Geneva