Clip this little lighted scope onto your smart phone and use the phone's zoom feature to show images (and take photos) up to 30X magnification. Our Optics Guru Paul says it has no business working this well for under ten bucks. Measures 2-5/8" x 1-1/4" and comes with (3) replaceable button-cell batteries for the light. Fits most major brands, like iPhones and Androids and Windows (oh, my!), and probably most tablets, too.

Good things come in (2) different small packages. Our pocket microscopes are compact and perfect for a clear, close look at stamps, coins, flora, insects or assorted minutiae. The 30X version measures 5-3/4" x 1-5/8" x 3/4" in black plastic with a focus knob, on/off switch, small LED for illumination, and a vinyl carrying case. Requires (2) "AA"s. The 60X version is a microscopic 3-1/4" x 1-3/16" x 3/4" and has a built-in white LED illuminator powered by (3) coin-cell batteries that are included. Magnifies from 60-100X, with coarse- and fine-focus knobs, and has a vinyl carrying case.

When you peer through your magnifying glass at this specimen, or focus your microscope on it, even at the lower magnifications which work best, you're looking at one big bug. Make that (4) big bugs. The insects are real, encased in clear acrylic blocks 1-3/4" x 1-1/4" x up to 11/16" thick, and ready for inspection. Set 1 includes a scorpion, giant ant, wasp and a flower bug. Set 2 is a cricket, locust, yellow leaf beetle, and crab. No, not a crab louse or a crab spider, but definitely a crab ugly.

Microscope glassware for examination of blood, pond water, mold, and other minutiae. All of the microscope slides are optically clear glass 26mm x 76mm (about 1" x 3"), between 1mm and 1.2mm thick. The well slides, of course, have a concave well to hold a drop of liquid. Our each is a package of (12) well slides, or a box of (72) standard slides with ground or beveled edges. Cover glasses are the smaller and very thin pieces of glass used as the top of the glass slide sandwich. They are often used temporarily by simply dropping them onto a drop of liquid to flatten and spread it and to minimize evaporation. More confident microscopists will cement them in place to permanently preserve a specimen. Our each is a package of (100) cover glasses 18 mm square, #1 thickness (0.13mm to 0.17mm). If you need one, you need both.

The sport of the future? No, cork-lined polystyrene boxes for holding microscope slides, complete with numbered slots and inventory sheets on the lids. The boxes are 8-3/4" x 6-3/4" x 1-1/3" with hinged lids. They are stackable, and you might get them in a variety of colors.

Begin their microscopic education here, with this 40-640X student microscope from Levenhuk®. Featuring an adjustable eyepiece, variable white LED illuminator, and adjustable iris. Comes with a cover; (5) blank and (5) prepared slides; pipette; brine shrimp, yeast, sea salt and glue samples; forceps; a microtome; 58-page user guide; and a 23-page manual. Includes (2) “AA” batteries and a lifetime warranty through the manufacturer.

This 20-200X digital microscope from Celestron® has a built-in 5-megapixel digital camera that will take still photos and video of any scientist's discoveries. It's easy to use--perfect for looking at stamps, bugs, coins, rocks, circuit boards, plants and tons of other tiny things. Good for professionals but completely appropriate for curious kids, too. Has a manual trigger on the USB power cord, plus an 8-LED illuminator and a 6" adjustable stand on a 6-5/8" x 4-3/4" base. Comes with Celestron® Micro CapturePro software for Windows XP/Vista/7/8 and Mac OSX 10.6-10.7. USB 2.0.

Up close and personal. From My First Lab™, these prepared microscope slides are Biology 101 in a box. Fungus slides (“Fun Guys”) have bread mold, penicillum, lichens, mushroom and yeast samples. The guts group has human stomach, heart and blood, plus brain and kidney cells from a small mammal. For ages nine and up.

Our newest Celestron® compound (biological) microscope is even better than the last one we offered. This one comes with a 3.5" color LCD viewing screen that rotates 180° for easy sharing in a lab, classroom or at home. It has an upgraded 5-megapixel camera that can record 625 hi-res photos or 20 minutes of 30fps video to the included 1GB SD card. The 4X, 10X and 40X objectives provide 40X, 100X and 400X optical magnifications, and the digital zoom raises it up to 1600X. On-screen, button controlled settings allow you to easily adjust exposure, image effects, a digital measuring reticle and other visual tweaks. Top and bottom independently adjustable LED illumination and a built-in 6 position filter wheel allow complete light adjustability. Also included are an AC adapter with 3 extra European adapters for those who travel, (5) prepared slides, USB and video out cables and a rigid lined 15" x 7" x 8.5" OA carrying case with a suitcase-handle and shoulder strap, for storage, field work or classroom visits. Carries a 2-year manufacturer's warranty.

My First Microscope from GeoSafari® Jr.® is a colorful plastic 8X binocular inspection scope for pre-preschoolers. Includes a built-in white LED top illuminator, over-sized rubber eyecups and simple focus knob. Fixed stage holds flat or 3D objects, so there's no need for slides. All you add is (3) "AAA" batteries and a bunch of stuff for them to peer at, like insects and coins.

This binocular microscope for the serious science student is extremely well-priced. Magnification is determined by color-coded 4X, 10X, 40X and 100X oil-immersion objectives and (2) 10X eyepieces, for 40X, 100X, 400X and 1000X magnification. It offers a 110-volt, 1-watt LED substage illumination, interpupilary adjustment, rack-and-pinion coarse/fine focus, an iris diaphragm, and a mechanical stage with an Abbe condenser. It has a comfortable 45° viewing angle. Brand new, and at a terrific price! It also includes a 1 year warranty w/proof of purchase.  

Get 5ml of microscope slide stain in a nifty plastic squeeze bottle with a dropper top and white plastic screw cap. Bottle is approx 2" tall x 3/4" dia, like a standard food-coloring dispenser. You pick red or blue stain.

Optimize the power of your microscope and get the sharpest possible image with a drop of clear, colorless immersion oil between the lens and your slide. This 0.5 oz tube of low-viscosity Resolve® Immersion Oil from Richard-Allan Scientific has a refractive index of 1.5150. It is non-drying and non-hardening, and will not damage lenses or valuable slides. But it will definitely enhance your view!

You bought one of our excellent microscopes - now you need interesting, good-quality slides. You need our Microscope Accessory Kit. The kit includes The World of the Microscope, a well-illustrated 48-page book that explains the instrument and how to use it. You get supplies to create your own slides, including a box of (72) standard glass slides, about 1" x 3", with ground edges; tweezers with which to position your specimens; a 4" glass dropper with a rubber bulb from which to drop small amounts of liquid onto the specimens; and (100) square pieces of #1 thickness cover glass to place over them. A great way to get focused.

Advanced Student Microscope With extra-sturdy construction, international-standard DIN, fully coated eyepiece and objectives, this is an excellent student microscope. It provides good resolution and centering, and maintains focus when objectives are changed. Stage clips, rack stops, smooth positive mechanical movements, built-in illuminator, coarse and fine focus.

• Magnification: 40X, 100X, 400X, 1000X (oil)

• Objectives: 4X, 10X, 40X, 100X (oil) spring-loaded, parfocal, centered achromatic.

• Eyepiece: 23mm 10X wide field with pointer.

• Illumination: Built-in 5 watt fluorescent, 110V with condensor.

• Stage Size: 120mm x 110mm with locked-in stage spring clips.

• Focusing: Rack and pinion, coarse & fine controls.

• Weight/Height: 8 lbs/14".

• Viewing Angle: 45°

The AstroMaster 76EQ Telescope by Celestron® is great for budding stargazers. 76mm dia with a 700mm focal length. Includes a (35X) eyepiece, starPointer, erect image optics, and a German Equitorial mount, which allows you to track a celestial body on its elliptical path across the sky with the turn of a simple knob; no more chasing the moon and stars through endless blackness. Also has a steel-tube tripod, coated glass optics for crisp images and the SkyX-First Light Edition astronomy software with a 10,000-object database, printable sky maps and 75 enhanced images. Quick and easy, no-tool setup. For versatility, pick an additional Plössl eyepiece: the 15mm eyepiece at 46X magnification; or the 6mm at 116X magnification.

It's made for holding a microscope, but it's a fine large carrying/storage case with endless possibilities. In navy nylon with grey straps, it's 18" tall x 11-1/2" wide x 8" deep with (4) small feet on the bottom so it stands upright. The straps extend beyond the top to serve as handles. The whole case is foam-padded, with a couple of hook-and-loop straps for securing whatever is inside, (2) elastic pockets in the lid for accessories, and a zip closure around (3) sides. Fits most microscopes, but would hold any number of things, from electronics to dinner-to-go for six, and would be a very nice way to organize assorted stuff in the trunk or back of an SUV.

If you want something done right…. And yes, that includes laboratory slides. This 17-piece slide-making kit from Elenco includes (10) blanks, (12) cover glasses, labels, and static slide covers, magnifier, (2) vials & graduated cylinders, shrimp eggs, methylene blue, micro-hatchery, goggles, and more.