History of Science Museum

A window on Geneva's illustrious scientific past

Word to the wise: If you want a guided tour of the museum's treasures you will need to book at least 15 days before your planned visit.
Venture into the city’s scientific past and witness the origins of many ideas and breakthroughs. Housed in the beautiful 19th century neoclassical Villa Bartholoni, the museum displays an intriguing collection of scientific instruments from the offices of Geneva-based scholars from the 17th to the 19th century. This includes microscopes, telescopes, sundials, astrolabes and ornate globes.

The age-old scientific instruments cover numerous disciplines including physics, astronomy, medicine and meteorology and are feats of ingenuity in their own right. Visitors can also see many old books and documents that have been bequeathed by the families of the city’s academics or the public bodies where they worked. They cover an extraordinary breadth of knowledge that showcases the evolution of a number of scientific fields.