The microscope

Try our microscope and have a closer look on tiny little things. What does your pinky finger nail look like up close?

A microscope is a tool that is used to magnify and look at objects that are too small to see with the naked eye. The technique is known as "microscopy". The most common type of microscope – and the one that was invented first – is the optical microscope. In order to obtain a good image from the microscope, light is often shined on the object from below. All you need is an optical microscope to see cells and their structure. Most schools give pupils the chance to use a microscope.

The microscope in this exhibition is an optical microscope, but its ability to magnify the object is limited.