The Art of Deception

Now open, The Art of Deception takes visitors into the dark underbelly of the world of collecting. How do fake artefacts end up in museums? Who made them, and why? And how do we detect them?

Opened in January, this new exhibition puts the forged scientific instruments that have fooled collectors and experts under the spotlight. From an intricate “silver” globe to eye-popping medical prints, visitors can explore over a hundred notorious objects, alongside the careful investigative work that exposed them.

‘Forgery is the inevitable dark side of collecting,’ said the Museum’s Director, Dr Joshua Nall. ‘If people are willing to pay good money for an historical artefact, then other people will always be willing to deceive them through the production of fakes. As early as the 1950s, Whipple curators have been identifying suspect objects in the Museum’s collection, many of them hiding in plain sight. We now know there’s an ever-growing world of fraud and deception in the market for scientific artefacts.’

‘The range of fake objects is really astonishing,’ said the Museum’s Curator, Dr Hannah Price. ‘Some are extremely sophisticated: others you can’t believe fooled anyone. Visitors will have to make up their own minds...’

Think you can tell real from fake? Come see for yourself.

Access Update at the Whipple Museum: Lift Works 2026

The Museum's lift has served us well for over fifteen years and is now due for replacement. From 2 February to April 2026, the lift will be out of service while these essential works are carried out.

We very much appreciate your understanding during this period. For further information or queries, please contact enquiries@whipplemuseum.cam.ac.uk.