Scientific instruments constitute a special group of museum memorabilia, valued not only as artefacts of handicraft, but also as testimony to the evolution of scientific methods, development of new technologies and progress in research. They acquire a particular value for university museums which illustrates traditions and everyday life of the school as well as achievements in researches and teaching. The Jagiellonian University Museum owns the largest collection of scientific instruments in Poland, the oldest dating from the Middle Ages (astronomical instruments from the 14th c.) and the youngest – from the 21st c. (multiwire drift chamber, 2001). Over 80% of the instruments have been given to the Museum from the equipment of the Jagiellonian University institutes and laboratories. Many of them have an interesting provenance, sometimes well documented. The main difficulty in objects acquisitions comes from the fact that only a fraction of them ends up in the Museum - usually only these that are the most cumbersome, and unwanted and at the same time difficult to transport due to their size and weight. To remedy this situation the Museum is educating the University employees about the proper way to collect old equipment and about general principles of acquisition. One of the methods used is a blurb presenting the newly acquired artifacts on the pages of the University monthly “Alma Mater” together with words of gratitude. Another method is the direct contact with the staff of the specific department or institute. A case study looks at 2011 acquisition of nearly 250 items from the Zoological Institute. This opportunity arose when the Institute was transferred to the new University Campus. The Museum was fortunate to acquire all main types of the collected artifacts, such as:

• standard scientific equipment, factory-made as well as for special applications
• prototype scientific instruments, often made in the University workshops, sometimes even by the researchers themselves,
• office materiel,
• instruments for educational purposes,
• scientific laboratory equipment connected with research apparatus.

Majority of artifacts are in good condition, sometimes needing only minor repairs or conservation care. Due to the limited space of the permanent exhibition and its historical character, most of the artifacts are kept in the storehouse to be used as a base for future thematic exhibitions.