AAO Museum of the Eye Opens to Public

The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) has opened its Truhlsen-Marmor Museum of the Eye in San Francisco, the group announced Sept. 29.

The 3,500-square-foot museum is located on the ground floor of the AAO headquarters in the Fisherman’s Wharf neighborhood. The AAO said the museum is the only free public museum dedicated to the science of sight.

Exhibits cover four galleries and include interactive, hands-on experiences such as virtual reality headsets and touchable models and screens.

Among the museum’s rotating collection of 38 thousand artifacts are:

—A large-scale eye model with a digital pupil and hidden camera. Guests will see how the eye and brain work together to produce sight.

—Optical illusions and explainers on common topics ranging from blind spots to color blindness.

—Historical artifacts dating back centuries, including anatomical models and eye atlases, the evolution of eyeglasses, surgical tools, and exam room equipment.

The AAO said funding donations to build the museum exceeded the group’s goal of $12 million.

Physician donations made up a significant portion of the total. Stanley M. Truhlsen, MD, and Michael F. Marmor, MD, were leading contributors, and the museum was named in their honor.

Corporate contributors included Alcon, Allergan, Johnson & Johnson Vision, Bausch + Lomb, Carl Zeiss Meditec, Genentech, and Glaukos.

The pandemic pushed back the museum’s planned launch in 2020.

The museum is open to the public 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Pacific time Thursdays to Sundays, as of September 2021, and it is operating in accordance with local COVID-19 safety recommendations.