Iconic objects from the Ri collection

Dive in to the history of the Ri

Founded in 1799, the Ri has been home to many scientific discoveries that have changed the world. From the first ever electric transformer made by Michael Faraday, to John Tyndall's radiant heat apparatus that discovered the greenhouse effect, the iconic objects from the Ri collection take us back on a journey through science.

Iconic objects from the Ri collection

William Bragg's spectrometer

William Henry Bragg designed and built the first ionization spectrometer in 1912-13. By measuring the scattering of x-rays, Crystallography has helped determine the structure of crystals and molecules such as DNA.

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Humphry Davy's miners' safety lamp

The first ever prototype of Davy’s miner’s safety lamp. Created in 1815, it prevented the methane gas present in the depths of the mines from reacting with the flame and exploding.

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James Dewar's vacuum flask

Dewar’s first-ever vacuum flask. Created in 1892 to hold liquefied gases at extremely low temperatures, this object is the forerunner of the Thermos flask.

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Michael Faraday's sample of benzene

Isolated for the first time in 1825 this hydrocarbon is now an important raw material in manufacturing dyes, explosives, rubber, phenol and therapeutic chemicals.

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Michael Faraday's generator

Faraday created the first transformer in August 1831. A few months later he designed and made this simple piece of apparatus based on his ring, developing the first-ever electric generator.

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Michael Faraday's gold colloids

These liquids are some of the first examples of metallic gold colloids, made by Michael Faraday over 150 years ago.

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Michael Faraday's iron filings

Faraday created a number of iron filing diagrams in 1851 to demonstrate magnetic lines of force.

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Michael Faraday's magneto-optical apparatus

The electromagnet used by Michael Faraday in a ground-breaking experiment showing that light and glass are affected by magnetism.

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Michael Faraday's electric magnetic rotation apparatus (motor)

The first surviving Faraday apparatus, dating from 1822, demonstrates his work in magnetic rotation. Faraday used this mercury bath to transform electrical energy into mechanical energy, creating the first electric motor.

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Michael Faraday's ring-coil apparatus

Made by Faraday in his laboratory in the basement of the Royal Institution in August 1831, thus creating the first ever electric transformer.

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John Tyndall's blue sky apparatus

Have you ever wondered why the sky is blue? The answer was first discovered over 150 years ago right here at the Royal Institution using this tube.

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John Tyndall’s radiant heat apparatus

In 1859, discovered the Greenhouse Effect using this tube amongst a collection of apparatus by measuring the absorptive powers of gases in the atmosphere.

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Alessandro Volta's voltaic pile

The first electrical battery, invented by Volta in 1800 in Genoa, Italy. This voltaic pile, made before 1813, was presented to Michael Faraday by Volta in 1814.

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Iconic objects from the Ri collection

Dive in to the history of the Ri

Iconic objects from the Ri collection

Building closures from 9 December onwards