Astronomy and related disciplines
The development of modern museums
The British Museum and the ‘new museum idea’
Museums in Europe and the United States
Colonial and metropolitan museums: some comparisons
Descriptions of colonial museums
Museums in Canada, South America, and Australasia
6 Growing: Botanical Gardens and Zoos
The development of botanical gardens
The evolution of zoological gardens
7 Measuring: The Search for Precision
Syncretism and measuring instruments
Measurement and industrial progress
Absolute measurement and error analysis
The transformation of mechanical precision
Precision and the human spirit
8 Reading: Books and the Spread of Ideas
Facilitating the birth of modern science
The rise of the scientific journal
Showing science: the art of illustration
9 Travelling: Discovery, Maps and Scientific Expeditions
Progression of people and ideas in the Malay Archipelago
Statistics physical and social
The popular triumph of averages