Isaac Newton and the Principia: Three Hundred Years

This exhibition commemorates the publication in 1687 of Newton's Principia Mathematica (Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy), in which Newton proposed three laws of motion and his law of universal gravitation, allowing him to create a mathematical structure of the universe to explain the Earth's shape and motions of the moon, planets, and comets. Principia Mathematica served as the cornerstone of modern physical science and as an important influence in the study of chemistry, electricity, magnetism, and 18th-century optics.

Additionally, the exhibition examines the life and work of Isaac Newton (1642-1727), the influence on other physical sciences, and its reception in the academic community. On view are more than 70 rare books, manuscripts, prints, astronomical instruments, and illustrations, which focus on both Newton's life and his scientific accomplishments. Many of the books and manuscripts are from the Smithsonian's Dibner Library.