‘Wonderful Machines from Overseas’: Exhibiting Western scientific objects in a Chinese context

This paper draws on my two years of experience as curator in the making of the exhibition ‘Wonderful Instruments from Overseas: The Western Technological World in the Eyes of Late Qing Intellectuals’ held at the Tsinghua University Science Museum, Beijing, China (from March 2024 to March 2025). The project was an attempt to reinterpret and recontextualize historical scientific objects, highlighting how they were perceived and represented by the late Qing intellectuals across different times and places. Emphasizing object-oriented and decentred historical narratives, the exhibition highlights the contributions of often-overlooked groups in the history of science. Furthermore, it demonstrates that science museums in the Chinese context can offer a more inclusive and multifaceted view of history.