Сollection of microscopes at department of histology and embryology

The museum was established in 1957. The idea for its organization belongs to famous Ukrainian histologist, corresponding member of AMS USSR, Professor M.I. Zazybin.micro1

The collection is proud of the unique collection of microscopes by famous scientists from XVII-XVIII c. The exposition starts from glass case, where the laboratory of microscopist from XVII c. is reproduced in miniature. Nearby there is the model of microscope, skillfully made by Antoni van Levenguk. This microscope had the mechanical device to fix and focus an object. It had only one short-focus lens, which was fixed between two metal plates, each of them had the small opening, through which the light passed. The vertical screw with the small table on the upper end was attached to the plates using movable clamp. The table had the movable needle to fix an object; the horizontal screw allowed changing the distance of the table from the plate, and at the same time the distance of the object from the lens (to focus an object). The quality of Levenguk’s lens, which magnified by 150-300 times, is especially impressive.

Next model – microscope by Robert Guk. The main peculiarity of Guk’s microscope in optical relation was that he installed the third lens, which was called as the field one, in addition to the eyepiece and object-glass with one lens. This biconvex lens was located in the middle between the object-glass and eyepiece; it decreased the image to some extent but made it more distinct and moreover increased the eyesight.

In total the museum has 42 models of microscopes from XVII-XVIII c. Among them the most interesting ones are the microscopes by Drebbel, Mushenbrok, Divinni, Doppelmayer, Liberkuhn, Wilson. In other glass units there are 28 microscopes from XIX-XX c. Besides, there is the model of electronic microscope, 10 microtomes of different design and ultramicrotome.

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