History of science resources
Discover our collection catalogues, digital resources as well as blog posts, videos and images. Our print store is also available here.
The Royal Society supports activities in the history of science and related disciplines by making available resources and funding, by celebrating history through awards, and in hosting public events. On this page you will find a wide range of online resources related to the history of science, to aid remote research, to explain, and to inspire. Find information catalogues, full text manuscripts and books, and interpretative material here.
Explore our resources
Search the archives
Search our extensive records documenting the activities of the Society and its Fellows since the…
Search printed works
Explore the library collection of printed books and periodicals.
Search past Fellows
Find information on all past Fellows, over 7,000 eminent scientists and natural philosophers from…
Science in the making
Access high-resolution digital images of Royal Society manuscripts.
Picture library
Explore over 10,000 high resolution images hand-picked from our historic collections.
Google Arts & Culture
Discover our digital exhibits on Google Arts & Culture.
Turning the pages
Leaf through digital replicas of some of our treasures.
Print Store
We offer thousands of images from the Royal Society's archive as prints, canvases and cards.
Objectivity YouTube channel
A series of videos about science treasures. In each video we uncover amazing objects and…
The Philosophical Transactions
Search through over 350 years of the scientific journal of the Royal Society.
The Wolfson Foundation archive
Read a collection of stories and documents from the Wolfson Foundation's archive.
People of Science
Brian Cox interviews David Attenborough, Venki Ramakrishnan, and other leading scientists.
Wilkins-Bernal-Medawar Medal and Lecture
This prize lecture is given on a subject relating to the history of science, philosophy of science…
The Lisa Jardine Grant Scheme
Travel grants to support archival research and career development in interdisciplinary studies.
Notes & Records
The Royal Society journal of the history of science.
Biographical memoirs
A unique compilation of memoirs celebrating the lives and scientific achievements of Fellows of…
History of scientific journals
Over 350 years of scientific publishing.
History of science blog posts
View all posts
Louisiane Ferlier
In History of science
3 min read
Not only Fellows
Louisiane Ferlier reports on the discoverability of non-Fellows in the Royal Society's Science in…
Eloise Barber
In History of science
4 min read
Making waves
Eloise Barber gives an overview of advances in the science of acoustics, from the seventeenth…
Keith Moore
In History of science
2 min read
Double vision
The themes of Christopher Priest's novel 'Expect me tomorrow' are reflected in various Royal…
Jon Bushell
In History of science
6 min read
Dead as a dodo
What became of the 'leg of the dodo' mentioned in the Royal Society's seventeenth-century museum…
Ainsley Vinall
In History of science
5 min read
Colourful remarks
Ainsley Vinall discovers how the architect William Benson aimed to bring scientific ideas on light…