About the museum

Museum History

Construction of the East Block, Science Museum, London, 9 May 1919

The Science Museum was founded in 1857 as part of the South Kensington Museum, and gained independence in 1909.

Collections

Babbage Difference Engine Number 1

We have hundreds of thousands of objects in our collection, from aircraft to microchips.

Library and Archives

London Library

The Science Museum library specialises in the history and biography of science and technology.

Science Museum Arts Projects

Listening Post

Science Museum arts projects explore artists' perspectives on the past, present and future of science and technology.

Science Museum at Wroughton

An old RAF airfield in Wroughton now serves as a storage facility for our large objects.

Research

Paul Ehrlich, German bacteriologist, c 1910

Research is key to interpreting, safeguarding and developing the museum's collections.