The microscope is an instrument that has been indispensable for the evolution of science. It is impossible to imagine the state of development of current knowledge about life and nature without this scientific apparatus. We agree with Eliseo Carrascal in his statement that «the microscope is the lens that saved the world.»

Pelletan in 1876, in the foreword to his book «Le Microscope» expressed himself thus: «I do not believe that there is any instrument that has rendered science greater services than the microscope, there is no other that has had a wider use. Indispensable in researchers’ laboratories, its use as a necessary instrument in industry, agriculture, as a means of daily use and as a simple and precise research method has penetrated”.

The Perea-Borobio Collection was born from an appreciation for the inherent characteristics of an instrument of daily use for us, such as the microscope. Being doctors and microbiologists, this admiration led us to search for old models of microscopes, with a focus on those used in medicine and especially in microbiology.

Our collection thus began in order to bring together a group of microscopes used in microbiological diagnosis and to reflect the evolution of this instrument. We reached this goal a few years ago when we gathered the first 31 microscopes, which today constitute the Perea-Borobio donation made to the SEIMC in 2017.

However, by dating, studying, and fixing these gadgets, we discovered an endless world of wonderful little machines, precise mechanics, and ingenious, elegant design. In the same way, the ease of exploration and knowledge that the Internet currently offers makes it possible to visit many extraordinary collections of microscopes, which prompted us to complement our collection, until then very limited and incomplete.

From that moment on, we participated in numerous auctions for the acquisition of new models, with the only economic limitation of the cost, sometimes astronomical, of some microscopes. The rush to find beautiful pieces for the collection and the uncertainty of finding them again, if we let the opportunity slip away, were part of this adventure.

Under these premises, we acquired the microscopes of recent years until, in 2020, we managed to collect some two hundred devices. These form a varied and harmonious set in which the main European models and manufacturers are represented.