Robert A. Paselk
Scientific Instrument Museum
Richard
A. Paselk, Curator
Welcome to the Robert A. Paselk Scientific
Instrument Museum. The Museum's collection consists primarily
of scientific instruments and apparatus used at Humboldt State
University over the past 75 years. Humboldt first opened to students
in 1914 as Humboldt Normal School, a two year college for training
teachers. It was later renamed Humboldt State Teachers College,
then Humboldt State College, and today, Humboldt State University.
Beginning in the 1920's laboratory science became a part of the
instruction at Humboldt. Initially these classes were designed
as part of Humboldt's junior college function - preparing students
to transfer to the University of California at Berkeley. From
this humble beginning Humboldt gradually evolved to a University
where excellence in science instruction is fundamental to its
international reputation in Natural Resources and Sciences.
This web-site is intended to serve both as
a stand-alone on-line museum, and as an information resource for
physical displays.
The Museum's main exhibit space comprizes three display cases on the
east wall outside of Room 206 of the Humboldt State University
Library (Floor
Plan). Additional exhibits are in display cases located in Science A associated with the Chemistry and Physics departments. Special thematic exhibits are found at the curator's
office, Science 570-B.
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Main Exhibits (2nd-Floor, Humboldt State University Library)
South (Left) Display Case
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25 artifacts from the Humboldt State Teachers and
Junior College period (1923-c.1935) are displayed. These include
the earliest scientific instruments used at Humboldt. All of
the Humboldt State Teachers College items are on permanent display.
Information on these instruments in available via the CASE MAP. Use your brower's back function to return to the map.
Information about individual instruments may
also be accessed via the Humboldt State Teachers College Instrument Collection page.
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Central Display Case |
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Two items from the Humboldt State Teachers and Junior College period (1923-c.1935) are displayed here: a large demonstration slide rule, and a sonometer. All of the Humboldt State Teachers College items are on permanent display. Information on these instruments in available by clicking on the instruments in the picture above. Use your brower's back function to return.
Information about these instruments may also
be accessed via the Humboldt State Teachers College Instrument
Collection page.
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North (Right) Display Case
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A variety of items representing the Humboldt State
College period (1936-1970) are on display in this case. Information
on these instruments in available via the CASE
MAP. Use your
brower's back function to return to the map.
It may also be accessed in two locations inthe
virtual museum by dates: the 1935-1953
HSC Instrument Collection page and the 1954-1973
HSC Instrument Collection page.
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Satellite Exhibits: |
Science A 3rd-Floor East Stairwell Display Case |
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Under Construction
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Science A 4th-Floor East Stairwell Display Case |
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Two-pan, substitution and semi-electronic balances used at Humboldt after c. 1950 exemplify analytical balances used by chemists before the advent of the modern fully electronic digital balance. Additional balances (on display in our main Library exhibit cases, above) round out the exhibit with earlier wood cased balances and a two-pan balance with built-in weights. A variety of weights and weight sets are also shown and discussed. |
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Science A 5th-Floor West Hallway Display Case
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Chemical Glassware
A selection of specialty and standard glassware |
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Curator's Office, Science A 560-B |
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Virtual Museum Guide
The collection and supplemental materials may
be explored on-line as they relate to Humboldt State, or by subject
categories.
Humboldt State Collection
The collection has been divided into three periods which correlate
approximately to some major events in the life of science at the
University. To place the instruments in context material is also
presented on how science was taught at Humboldt: what was available,
classes, majors, instructors, etc.
Supplemental Materials
- Instruments
& Apparatus Indexed by Category:
a listing of all of the instruments
in the virtual museum with links to individual instrument pages.
- Contemporary Instrument
Literature: (extracts of books, pamphlets, catalogs etc. providing
information on the use, design, and repair of instruments found
in the collection): Optical character recognition scans
of documents with figures presented as JPEG files. Occasionally
scanned pages are provided to give a "feel" for the
original documents. (May also be accessed via links from instrument
descriptions.)
- Essays: Short
essays written to provide additional background on instruments,
manufacturers, etc. (May also be accessed via links from instrument
descriptions.)
- References: To increase the usefulness
of this site I have provided an annotated bibliography. These
are works I have found particularly useful regarding the history
and development of 20th century instruments.
- About the Museum: A little background about the origins and philosophy
of the museum.
- Instrument
Care and Repair: In an effort to aid collectors, specifications and/or
illustrations for parts, references etc. are being assembled
here.
If you have additional information regarding the instruments
you think I could/should include please share that information.
I am particularly interested in additional contemporary catalog
illustrations for the instruments missing that information. I
am also interested in contemporary sources for the use of these
instruments in teaching etc. I may be contacted by e-mail : rap1@axe.humboldt.edu;
mail: Richard Paselk, Department of Chemistry, Humboldt State
University, CA 95521; or telephone: (707) 826-5719
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- © R. Paselk
- Last modified 16 August 2007
