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Optical Heritage Museum

A quirky museum paying tribute to the history of the optical industry.

Southbridge, Massachusetts

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A small timeline showing progression in frame styles.   OHMuseum / Atlas Obscura User
Step up to see, learn, explore & discover the Optical Heritage Museum.   OHMuseum / Atlas Obscura User
Thousands of articles just waiting to be discovered.   OHMuseum / Atlas Obscura User
See how the earliest optical frames looked.   OHMuseum / Atlas Obscura User
Glasses needed to be kept somewhere, see some of the case options available.   OHMuseum / Atlas Obscura User
More than frames, see the equipment making clear vision possible.   OHMuseum / Atlas Obscura User
Eyeglasses through the decades   monicaelefterion / Atlas Obscura User
Glass eyeball didplay   monicaelefterion / Atlas Obscura User
Old refraction set ups, rewired and providing accurate measurements 100 years on.   OHMuseum / Atlas Obscura User
  monicaelefterion / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Where would we be if not for the scientific breakthroughs allowing us to see clearly?

Paying respects to the optical industry as a whole is the Optical Heritage Museum in Southbridge. The museum is home to thousands of historical artifacts created by American Optical, ZEISS, or SOLA. At the museum, you can see the very same devices that were used to make many of these historical breakthroughs possible.

Wandering through each display, you get a small glimpse into the history of the optical industry. You can browse at your own leisure, or take a guided tour led by the museum curator.

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Know Before You Go

Access the museum via the street entrance. The museum is open Wednesday through Friday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. However, they will open the doors after hours for a tour. Great for groups of all sizes and would recommend at least 1 -2 hours visiting time to soak it all in.

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Published

July 29, 2019

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