Description
In November 1944, R.S. Whipple’s donation to the University of Cambridge was put on show in the East Rooms of the Old Schools. The University accepted the donation on the condition that they found a new institution within which to house the collection.

Whipple himself wrote a guidebook to this exhibition, describing some of the more important objects and books on show. The front cover includes the following declaration: “The Exhibits are drawn from the Collection which Mr R.S. Whipple is presenting to the University and will form a nucleus for a History of Science Museum and Library in Cambridge.”

This box of magic lantern slides was one of the objects displayed in the 1944 exhibition.
17/10/2025
Created by: Hannah Price on 17/10/2025

Description
Magic lanterns are an early type of image projector. They use a powerful light source to project images onto a screen or wall. They were the precursors to modern slide, overhead and motion picture projectors. Although first developed in the 17th century, it was in the late 18th and 19th centuries that the design of the instrument became developed enough to make magic lantern shows a popular form of general entertainment and scientific and artistic education.

The basic elements of a magic lantern are a metal or wooden body, a light source, a condensing lens, a focusing lens, and interchangeable slides that were commonly produced in sets. Early lantern slides were hand painted on glass, but by the late nineteenth century a number of companies were mass producing slide sets utilising photographic transparencies. Hand cranked mechanisms were sometimes also built into the slides to produce elaborate animated effects. Slide sets might show recent events, exotic locations from around the world, or illustrate tales and fables. For scientific lecturers, the magic lantern was an invaluable instrument for illustrating their public talks, enabling the projection of spectacular astronomical images or massive diagrams of plants and animals.
03/04/2014
Created by: Joshua Nall on 03/04/2014