The Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments at the Putnam Gallery — Attraction in Cambridge

Hidden gem with short hours. Not really a destination in itself, but if you're on campus or going to the nearby Peabody or Natural History Museums, add this to your visit. A small museum tucked inside the Science Center - just inside the Oxford Street entrance. Only open 11-4pm and closed on Saturdays. It will take you an hour to look around, max, but some of the displays are amazing and well worth the stop. Scientific tools from 1400-modern day. Ancient models of the cosmos with early computers and experiments with lasers. There's something for every geek. You'll need to leave large bags at the front desk because the museum is small and they don't want bags bumping the pieces. Best way to see the place is to use Waywiser (see museum website) for more details on particular pieces while...

We've come a long way. The Collection of Scientific and Medical Instruments is compact, but still provides a stunning visual foundation for how far we've come in our ability to see within ourselves and to see out to the stars. There are examples of early telescopes and microscopes. There is old-time auditory testing equipment side by side with electric lighting from another era. The exhibit features a Grandfather-type clock that was used to sync time over telegraph wires before it was possible anywhere else. Don't overlook the early Dr. Frankenstein MRI machine. Not a great place for chronologically young children, but wonderful for the wondering child in...

Boring museum that could be great. Because many of the instruments are so unusual, explanations of what they do are critical. The problem is that the explanations are often not next to the instrument requiring you to connect a letter on the explanation with a letter on the instrument. Many of the instruments move to work but because the display is static, it's hard to know how they do their job. And to add to that, the instruments are closely packed together making the whole experience cramped. We were quite...