History of the Microscope

A Light Microscope Is Born

Mar 5, 1590

Zaccharias and Hans Janssen, a father and son team, discovered that objects appeared greatly enlarged while experimenting with lenses in a tube.

Antoinie Van Leeuwenhoek

Oct 24, 1632

Anoinie Van Leeuwenhoek was known for the improvements he made to the common lens. He experimented with over 400 different types of lenses, magnifying objects over 200 times their size.

Robert Hooke

Mar 5, 1665

Robert Hooke learned from Van Leeuwenhoek's light microscope design and improved upon it. He was able to maginfy objects even more than Leeuwenhoek and becoming one of the first scientists to notice cells under one of his microscopes.

Charles A. Spencer

Mar 5, 1838

Charles A. Spencer is known as Americas first microscope maker. He printed up an ad and began selling his microscopes to anyone that could afford to buy them. He allowed everyday people the chance to use microscopes.