miSci Artifact Collection

miSci - Museum of Innovation and Science

Philco Model 90 with Star-Lite transistor radio - Image Source

Collection Facts

Extent:

350

Dates of Original:

1857-2005

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Historical Context

Since its founding in 1934, the Museum of Innovation and Science has been collecting objects documenting the scientific and engineering achievements of the 19th and 20th centuries, particularly those developed in Schenectady and its surrounding communities. Through General Electric and American Locomotive Company, Schenectady became known as the “Electric City” and “The City that Lights and Hauls the World. Some of the most notable pioneering achievements include radio and television, steam turbine-generators, electric locomotives, home refrigeration, the electric breakfast, and medical imaging.

Scope of Collection

View images of selected objects from miSci’s collection of 15,000 science and technology artifacts. The collection includes objects related to invention, industry, scientific process, and the use of technology in everyday life. The collection includes a variety of objects, including televisions, radios, large household appliances, small domestic appliances, meters, X-ray tubes and equipment, electronic tubes, turbine blades, generators, alternators, early electric equipment, and scientific equipment, including electron microscopes and mass spectrometers.