Monday, 13 July 2009
Following a visit to the University Museum of Zoology in Cambridge, Richard and I headed over to the Whipple Museum of the History of Science to see the exhibit featuring Darwin’s microscope. On the way there, we checked out the Cambridge University Press Bookshop and spotted some interesting history of science spots:
Cambridge, England
Mobile Library, Cambridge, England
At the bookshop, Richard went crazy and spent a deal on some Darwin books, including the not-so-cheap Charles Darwin’s Notebooks from the Voyage of the Beagle, edited by Gordon Chancellor and John van Wyhe. I bought one book, Charles Darwin: The Beagle Letters.
Darwin Display, Cambridge University Press Bookshop, Cambridge, England
Darwin Display, Cambridge University Press Bookshop, Cambridge, England
History of Science, Cambridge University Press Bookshop, Cambridge, England
Ladybird Beetle, Cambridge, England
Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge, England
Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge, England
Plaque for J.J. Thompson, Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge, England
Crooked Doorway, Cambridge, England
The Whipple Museum, which is in the same building that houses the Department of History and Philosophy of Science:
The Whipple Museum, University of Cambridge
Department of History and Philosophy of Science, University of Cambridge
The exhibit Darwin’s Microscope (much more than a microscope was on display):
Darwin's Microscope, Whipple Museum, University of Cambridge
Darwin's Microscope, Whipple Museum, University of Cambridge
Darwin's achromatic compound microscope, Whipple Museum, University of Cambridge
Darwin's achromatic compound microscope (1847) for his barnacle research, Whipple Museum, University of Cambridge
Microscope slide storage, Whipple Museum, University of Cambridge
Letter from Darwin to J.D. Hooker about the microscope, Whipple Museum of the History of Science, University of Cambridge
Vol. II of Darwin's 'A monograph on the sub-class Cirripedia' (barnacles), Whipple Museum, University of Cambridge
In the same display case as the compound microscope were a bunch of evolutionary books and an older compound microscope similar to one Darwin had at Cambridge in the 1830s:
Older compound microscope, Whipple Museum, University of Cambridge
Evolutionary books, Whipple Museum, University of Cambridge
Evolutionary books, Whipple Museum, University of Cambridge
Part of this exhibit showcased The Darwin Correspondence Project, based at Cambridge (they have just published the 17th volume):
Darwin Correspondence Project display, Whipple Museum, University of Cambridge
Darwin Correspondence Project display, Whipple Museum, University of Cambridge
Darwin Correspondence Project display, Whipple Museum, University of Cambridge
Darwin Correspondence Project display, Whipple Museum, University of Cambridge
This image is not from the correspondence project, but from Richard, who, the day before leaving for Cambridge, ordered the new volume from his local bookshop, not realizing that he would be visiting the Cambridge University Press’s bookshop. Oh well.
Richard's Darwin Correspondence Collection
One display in the exhibit showcased in drawers a wide variety of Darwin memorabilia:
Darwin memorabilia, Whipple Museum, University of Cambridge
Darwin memorabilia, Whipple Museum, University of Cambridge
Darwin memorabilia, Whipple Museum, University of Cambridge
The caricature print in the image above I discussed in a post on my other blog, Transcribing Tyndall.
Darwin memorabilia, Whipple Museum, University of Cambridge
Darwin memorabilia, Whipple Museum, University of Cambridge
Darwin memorabilia, Whipple Museum, University of Cambridge
Darwin memorabilia, Whipple Museum, University of Cambridge
Darwin memorabilia, Whipple Museum, University of Cambridge
Darwin memorabilia, Whipple Museum, University of Cambridge
Another display showed late nineteenth-century responses to Darwin:
Responses to Darwin, Whipple Museum, University of Cambridge
The caricature print above was also featured in the same post on Transcribing Tyndall.
Responses to Darwin, Whipple Museum, University of Cambridge
Responses to Darwin, Whipple Museum, University of Cambridge
Various posters and wall hangings:
Darwin wall hangings, Whipple Museum, University of Cambridge
Darwin wall hangings, Whipple Museum, University of Cambridge
Darwin wall hangings, Whipple Museum, University of Cambridge
Darwin wall hangings, Whipple Museum, University of Cambridge
Some shots from the rest of the museum:
Anatomical model of a fetus, Whipple Museum, University of Cambridge
Natural history displays, Whipple Museum, University of Cambridge
Whipple Museum of the History of Science, University of Cambridge
Telescope, Whipple Museum, University of Cambridge
Newton wants your money, Whipple Museum, University of Cambridge
R.S. Whipple, Founder of the Whipple Museum, University of Cambridge
After the Whipple Museum, we weren’t sure what to do next. Around the corner from the museum we ran into John van Wyhe, one of the Darwin historians I met at the conference (and owner of a Darwin groupie bike), as he was headed to his office at the building where the Whipple Museum is:
John van Wyhe, University of Cambridge. Photo by Richard Carter
Although it was Monday and Darwin’s room at Christ’s College was not open to the public, he quickly treated Richard and I to a look (other pictures from Christ’s I posted here). John was, after all, in charge of the restoration. Richard was also delighted to get his Beagle notebook signed by one of its editors. I will share photos from Darwin’s room in the next post.
You can view all the photos from my trip here, if you feel so inclined. Some of Richard’s Cambridge photos are here.
PREVIOUS: Cambridge Trip #7: Beetles, Finches and Barnacles at the University Museum of Zoology; Cambridge Trip #6: Darwin the Geologist at the Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences; Cambridge Trip #5: Darwin Groupies Explore Cambridge; Cambridge Trip #4: Darwin in the Field Conference, Pt. 2; Cambridge Trip #3: Darwin in the Field Conference; Cambridge Trip #2: Finding My Way; Cambridge Trip #1: Traveling
The Dispersal of Darwin 