XXIX Symposium of the Scientific Instrument Commission
Florence, 4-9 October 2010
Sponsored and organized by: Museo Galileo. Istituto e Museo di Storia della Scienza, Fondazione Scienza e Tecnica
Scientific committee: Paolo Brenni, Sara Schechner, Giorgio Strano, Anna Giatti
Organizing committee: Laura Manetti, Giulia Fiorenzoli, Elisa Bonaiuti
The Museo Galileo and the Fondazione Scienza e Tecnica were very pleased to host the XXIX Symposium of the Scientific Instrument Commission of the International Union of History and Philosophy of Science (Division History of Science and Technology) in October 2010. Over one hundred scholars, curators and collectors from all over the world attended the Symposium.
THEME
The primary theme for the conference was "Instruments on display". How have instruments been presented in scientific collections, museums and permanent and temporary exhibitions in past and more recent time? Did didactic, scientific, celebrative, propagandistic and rhetorical considerations significantly influence the manner of displaying instruments? How were instruments presented in a Wunderkammer of the Renaissance, in a 18th-century cabinet or in a 19th-century exhibition? How and why are they shown in contemporary science museums? These and other questions gave rise to interesting papers and discussions at the Florence meeting.
For further information
Scientific committee: Paolo Brenni, Sara Schechner, Giorgio Strano, Anna Giatti
pbrenni@imss.fi.it
Organizing committee: Elisa Bonaiuti, Giulia Fiorenzoli, Laura Manetti
sic2010@imss.fi.it