Mathematisch-Physikalischer Salon

The Mathematisch-Physikalischer Salon (German: [mateˈmaːtɪʃ fyziˈkaːlɪʃɐ zaˈloːn], Royal Cabinet of Mathematical and Physical Instruments) in Dresden, Germany, is a museum of historic clocks and scientific instruments. Its holdings include terrestrial and celestial globes, astronomical, optical and geodetic devices dating back to the 16th century, as well as historic instruments for calculating and drawing length, mass, temperature and air pressure.

The Mathematisch-Physikalischer Salon is part of the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden (State Art Collections). It is located in the Zwinger.

The roots of the Mathematisch-Physikalischer Salon go back to the 15th century. Albert III, Duke of Saxony, established the Herzoglische Harnischkammer (ducal armour chamber) at the Duke’s residence in Dresden. Later it became the Kurfürstliche Rüst- und Harnischkammer (electoral munition and armour chamber). It was used for storing the personal, tournament and parade weapons and associated equipment of the court.

Elector August of Saxony purposefully started to collect objects of art and for a time stored them in the munition and armour chamber. Already in the 16th century the collection had reached a similar size to that of the imperial armoury in Vienna. The elector combined the Kurfürstliche Rüst- und Harnischkammer and the Jagdkammer (hunting chamber) to the Kurfürstliche Rüstkammer (armory or electoral munition chamber).

In 1724 the mathematical and physical instruments were separated from the armory and other collections of the elector and stored in the newly established “Königliches Cabinet der mathematischen und physikalischen Instrumente” (royal cabinet of mathematical and physical instruments). Until 1746 this was the official name of the collection which concentrated on instruments for measuring length, temperature, weight, volume and time. Since 1728 the royal cabinet can be found in the Zwinger. The first residence of the cabinet was the pavilion of the carillon in the Dresden Zwinger. In 1746 the collection was removed to a part of the building which is today called pavilion F, and is still housed there. Since that time it is called the Mathematisch-Physikalischer Salon.

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