The history of chemical laboratories: a thematic approach

Chemical laboratories have existed since the late sixteenth century. Two basic designs have dominated this history: a furnace-centred laboratory based on earlier alchemical workshops up to around 1820 and then a design based on the use of the Bunsen burner with benches and bottle racks since the 1850s (the “classical” laboratory). New designs with a focus on health and safety began to appear at the end of the twentieth century. There has been an important interaction between the design of the laboratory and chemical practice, including how chemistry was taught. In particular, the introduction of running water and piped gas was crucial to the creation of the “classical” laboratory in the 1860s. One aspect of the classical laboratory which has disappeared is the chemical museum. This article considers university, industrial and school laboratories, and also the social organisation of the laboratory. Finally, the article considers the future of chemical laboratories and chemical practice.