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  • The Truhlsen-Marmor Museum of the Eye® has four permanent galleries focused on the science and history of ophthalmology.  Each gallery contains cutting-edge interactive exhibits and objects from the museum's historical collection. For gallery layout, download our museum map.

    Gallery 1: The Amazing Eye
    A large model eye stands in a museum gallery in front of a plastic case of old medical texts and eye models. There is also a large television on the right. The model eye has a light brown iris and a square window along the side for visitors to look into the model. The museum gallery has gray walls and gray and green carpet.
    Your eyes are the gateway to a visual system that processes millions of bits of information per second. This gallery explains the anatomy of our eyes, and how we translate images into understanding. 












    Gallery 2: The Power of the Retina
    A close-up medical scan of layers of the back of the eye. The layers are alternating blue and green colored almost wave on a black background. There is white, indistinct text indicating the different layers. Near the bottom of the image there is an orange stripe above the final green stripe.    The retina codes the world into edges, contrast, and color. In this gallery, you will learn more about the how the retina functions to recognize light, perceive color, detect contrast, and sends information up to the brain. 





    Gallery 3: Discoveries
    People walk around in a museum gallery. Three people are in motion and blurry, but a fourth man is in focus. He is older, with white hair wearing a black, collared shirt and chinos and looking at an indistinct display on the wall in one corner of the image. There is a display table with a sign that reads: Retina. Behind that is a large display of showing a wood cut drawing of someone wearing a mask and ruff in an early Renaissance style.    The mysteries of the eye have been studied for thousands of years. This gallery contains timelines and historical artifacts that show the history of medicine and specific eye conditions, including corneal diseases, retinal diseases, strabismus, glaucoma, and cataracts.









    Gallery 4: Innovating for Sight 
    Two young people are in front of a small desk with a black, metallic backing. On one side the backing has a sign that reads BE THE INNOVATOR! and the remainder of the backing is home to rectangular slips of paper covered in drawings and notes. One of the young people has long, reddish hair, is wearing a gray hoodie and is seated at the table. The other is standing and leaning forward and is wearing a red hoodie and black shorts.    Today, we are examining individual cells, identifying genes, and are on the cusp of treating what was once irreversible damage in the eyes. This gallery explores some of the newest ideas and technologies that are changing the practice of ophthalmology.