EXHIBITIONS:
Eccentricity
Special Exhibition Gallery
From 10 May
Over the years the Museum has taken a broad-minded approach to collecting
and, as a result, contains many unexpected objects, often hidden away in the
store. This exhibition brings some of them to light and contains both objects
that have interesting stories to tell and others that remind us of the eccentricity
of their owners. Who would have thought that the Museum has a fascinating
collection of typewriters, a Japanese mechanical fly-trap, a 19th century
clockwork bird scarer, or an astrolabe belonging to Nostradamus?
Charles Daubeny (1795-1867) was a distinguished and eccentric scientific
professor in Oxford. He kept monkeys in a cage in the gate to the Botanic
Garden. (Drawing by Francis Mosley.)
Turning the Heavens
Basement Gallery
To 24 April
A small exhibition exploring the construction of Peter Apian's lavish 16thcentury astronomy volume Astronomicum Caesareum.
Elliott Brothers
Entrance Gallery
From 24 May
The Museum has acquired the archives and instrument collection of one of
the most important manufacturers in Britain in the 19th and 20th centuries,
who based their business on innovative developments in the physical
sciences and engineering. Catalogue entries for all the instruments have now
been added to our on-line database and this display is selected to illustrate
the quality and interest of the work of ‘Elliott’s’.
Art@MHS:
ETHOMETRIC MUSEUM
Sound installation by Ray Lee
1-30 April
A fascinating and transporting new installation by internationally-acclaimed
sound artist Ray Lee, famous for creating the world-renowned show ‘Siren’.
For his new work, premiered at the Museum of the History of Science, he has
assembled an extraordinary collection of puzzling, intriguing and compelling
objects from the obscure science of Ethometrics, presented for the first time in
a display in the basement gallery.
The Ethometric Museum is on display throughout opening hours during April
2011 and is also demonstrated by Ray Lee at times during opening hours and
in the evenings. Each machine, the precise purpose of which is unknown,
emits a specific harmonic frequency, and Ray Lee combines these to create a
hypnotic, mesmerising sonic installation.
See overleaf for times and arrangements for purchasing tickets.
Costs: £5 / £3 conc.
This art installation is a collaboration with Oxford Contemporary Music.
IYC 2011
ENTRANCE GALLERY
TO 22 MAY
A display of chemical apparatus and manufacturers’ catalogues to mark
International Year of Chemistry. An opportunity to see items normally kept
in the reserve store.
SPECIAL EVENTS:
NIGHT OF MUSEUMS
Saturday 14 May, 7-11pm
The Museum’s annual evening opening for the European festival of museums
(La Nuit des Musées) will include tours of the new special exhibition
‘Eccentricity’, activities for eccentric scientists and the final two
demonstrations of ‘The Ethometric Museum’ by Ray Lee (for ticketing, see
overleaf).
MARCONI DAY
Saturday 30 April, 2-5pm
The Oxford and District Amateur Radio Society will once again celebrate the
annual Marconi Day, by setting up a temporary radio station in the Museum,
to make radio contact with as many distant radio enthusiasts as possible, as
far away as can be achieved. They will attempt to include the ham radio
station at St John’s, Newfoundland, where Marconi’s first messages were
received from across the Atlantic! Come and see them in action and share the
experience of this international event.
TALES OF ECCENTRICITY
Saturday 11 June, 2-4.30pm
A tour of the special exhibition, ‘Eccentricity’, will be followed by a series of
gallery talks illustrating eccentricity also in the permanent galleries, where
there are objects from some notable scientific eccentrics from the 19th
century, such as Charles Dodgson (Lewis Carroll), James South, Charles
Daubeny and Charles Babbage.
Admission to all events is free, unless stated.
BETWEEN THE LINES
Tuesday 10 May, 7pm
The latest in our occasional series of lectures by authors of successful books
in the history of science has been chosen to suit the opening of the exhibition
‘Eccentricity’. Graham Farmelo will talk about his award-winning biography of
Paul Dirac, The Strangest Man. ‘One of the strangest geniuses of the
twentieth century ... ‘ The Strangest Man won the 2009 Costa Biography Prize
and the 2010 Los Angeles Times Science Book Prize.
TABLE TALKS:
A large table in the Basement Gallery is used for informal talks and
demonstrations.
Talking to Angels
Stephen Johnston
Sunday 17 April, 2.30pm
Queen Elizabeth’s Astrolabe
Stephen Johnston
Sunday 5 June, 2.30pm
Free. No need to book
GALLERY TOURS:
From Alchemy to Chemistry
Stephen Johnston explains how alchemy and chemistry have a special
relevance to the Museum’s building.
Saturday 30 April, 2pm
The Body in Question: Medicine in the Museum
A gallery tour led by Stephen Johnston.
Saturday 21 May, 2pm
Eccentricity
A guide to the special exhibition led by Stephen Johnston
Saturday 18 June, 2pm
Introducing the Museum
Volunteer-led introductory tours will take place every Thursday at 2.15 and
3pm.
Free. No need to book
FAMILY FRIENDLY
DROP IN (No booking required)
Euclid You Can!
Saturday 2 April
Basement Gallery, 1-4pm
Find out about Euclid and make exciting 3-D geometric shapes out of
coloured card.
Suitable for children aged 7 upwards.
Angels’ Delight
Saturday 2 – Saturday 23 April
During opening hours
Number, shape and pattern reveal a universe for angels. A self-guided trail.
Suitable for age 7 upwards.
Crazy Kaleidoscopes
Saturday 14 May
Basement Gallery, 2-4pm
Make a crazy kaleidoscope and discover beautiful patterns!
Suitable for age 6 upwards.
Travellers’ Tales
Saturday 11 June
Basement Gallery, 2-4pm
Listen to tales of travel and discovery, and handle old navigational
instruments!
Suitable for children aged 7-13.
Eyeballs and Other Things
Saturday 25 June
Basement Gallery, 12-4pm
Dissection of eyeballs and some curious visual experiments will help you
understand what it is to see.
Suitable for age 9 upwards.
WORKSHOPS (Book on 01865 277280)
Galileo’s Telescope
Saturday 30 April
Basement Gallery, 2-4pm
Discover the secrets of Galileo’s invention and make your own working
telescope.
Suitable for children aged 9 upwards.
Voluntary materials donation £5.
Drawing with Leonardo
Saturday 28 May
Basement Gallery, 2-4pm
Discover the secrets of Renaissance art and how to use a camera obscura to
draw in perfect perspective.
Suitable for children aged 9 upwards.