The ASE is supporting the Science Museum Teaching Collection with a call for information and objects that illustrate the history of science teaching. 

Who is the Science Museum Group? 

The Science Museum Group cares for a diverse and internationally significant collection of 7.3 million items from science, technology, engineering, medicine, transport and media. Did you know that about 1000 of them reveal how science was taught in schools from the late-19th to the late-20th century? This significant resource includes mainly demonstration apparatus from schools and colleges* used to mainly teach physics, chemistry and biology. It provides an insight into changes in both the curriculum and the manufacturing of teaching equipment. You can get a taste of some of the items in the museum’s online collection. 

How can you help? 

We are looking to understand more about the objects already in the collection and for object donations that reflect science teaching from the 1990s and up to today, currently not represented in the collection. From a dynamometer and a circuit board to a chemistry lab bench or a teachers mug, we are interested in the object and its use as much as the stories of the people behind it. We are particularly keen for a representation of science teaching in a broader range of schools and finding out about more inclusive science teaching methods (e.g. equipment for pupils with SEN and/or disabilities)

Some of the questions that we are thinking about when considering new objects for the collection are:

• What is it and at what condition?
• Who made it?
• Who used it and why? 
• How was it used? 
• How did the object come to your possession and what is your relationship with it? 

If you think that you can help we would love to hear from you. Please email Elissavet.Ntoulia@ScienceMuseum.ac.uk

*Main schools that objects have come from in the collection:
Shrewsbury School
Christ's Hospital Girls' School
Winchester College
Eton College
Purbrook Park School
Mary Datchelor School
Robert Montefiore Secondary School
St. Martin in the Fields School
Westminster City School
North East London College
South East London Secondary School

Where is the collection currently?

• In the Science Museum in London

If you visit the Science Museum in London, try to spot an Oersted Compass Needle from 1828 and a Meccano construction set on display from the Science Teaching Collection. Have you come across similar things before? 

• In storage at the National Collections Centre near Swindon

Only a small proportion of our objects are on display at any given moment. The rest of the Science Teaching collection is stored at the National Collections Centre.

If anyone is interested in a research visit please get in touch using info@ase.org.uk and we can pass on your enquiry.