This gallery examines some of the advances in the Sciences, Arts and Divinity that have been made by those associated with St Andrews.
One of the University’s most significant scientists was James Gregory, who was Professor of Mathematics at the University between 1668 and 1674 and an important astronomer of his day.
Gregory probably bought the Great Astrolabe in front of you. This is another of the University’s treasures. It was made in 1575 by Humphrey Cole, the most important English maker of scientific instruments of the 16th century.
Astrolabes were used for determining local time and for predicting the position of the heavenly bodies. Plates were specially designed for the location in which the astronomer wished to use the astrolabe and these were inserted into the instrument itself.
Gregory wanted to establish an observatory at St Andrews and acquired numerous instruments for this purpose, some of which are on the screen now. The observatory was never completed and Gregory worked instead in the University library.
The second case in the middle of this room contains another instrument associated with Gregory. He didn’t buy this one, but he did invent it.
The Gregorian Reflecting Telescope used metal mirrors to bounce light around inside.
This allowed the telescope to be much shorter than previous instruments and meant that the image you saw through it was much clearer and, for the first time, the right way up,
meaning you could use it not only for looking at the stars, but also for terrestrial observations, or simply for spying on your neighbour.
St Andrews has seen other notable scientists walk its streets. The small, red tube in the middle of the large case was invented by Sir David Brewster.
Brewster was Principal of the United College between 1838 and 1859 and the red tube is a kaleidoscope.
He came up with it as part of an experiment with light, but realised that it would also make a fantastic toy.
Another craze of the time was stereoscopy – that’s 3D photography to you and me. Brewster designed a form of lenticular stereoscope for looking at 3D images.
Due to the presence of Brewster and others St Andrews played a leading role in the development of early photography. You can find out more about this by opening the middle draw.
Chemistry, biology and geology were in the past and still are today important areas of research at St Andrews and all are featured in this case.
You can get hands on with modern versions of Brewster’s inventions on either side of the entrance to this gallery. When you are ready to continue with the tour, go to the case on the opposite side of the gallery to the large one