Science & Technology
Welcome to the Science and Technology department. We research, maintain and monitor one of the most important collections of scientific and technological material in Europe.
Our collections are open to researchers for examination, and we'd be happy to help you conduct research. Please contact our staff to enquire.
Contact list of staff members
Science & Technology department
Our collections
The Science and Technology collections are broad-based, ranging from scientific instruments made in the eleventh century to cutting-edge developments in renewable energy technologies. Some items are tiny, such as micro-electronic computing components; some are huge, including 73 aircraft. They are held at the National Museum of Rural Life and the National Museum of Flight as well as the National Museum of Scotland and National Museums Collection Centre.
These collections represent not only the development of scientific concepts and technical details but also the historical and cultural significance of science, medicine and technology, and their impact on people and the environment.
What we do
Science and Technology stories
- Discover
Typewriters, women, and the advancement of workplace equality
The introduction of the typewriter to 19th century workplaces had a significant impact on the role of women. It transformed the world of work and created new opportunities in business for women, as employers and employees. Find out how the… - Discover
8 women in Scotland who shaped the history of science
Many of the scientific endeavours featured in our collections are the work of women with a connection to Scotland. - Discover
Edinburgh physicist James Clerk Maxwell’s explorations in colour
James Clerk Maxwell is particularly acknowledged among scientists for combining the theories of electricity and magnetism into electromagnetism, described by Maxwell’s equations. However, his research was very wide ranging, including an…
