Everyday technology

In contemporary British homes, a flushing toilet is a basic expectation. But what happens after you flush, and how was this essential everyday technology developed?

Delve into the story of how typewriters developed, and how this humble machine's origins show that accessible technology is good for everyone.

Discover the work of some of the ingenious model engineers in our collection and find out what impact they had on technology in the full-scale world.

The kitchen has long been at the forefront of technological innovation. Find out how a wealth of gadgets and appliances have influenced our cooking.

Find out how different materials—ancient and modern—have been used in menstrual care, and what the future of sustainable periods might look like.

DIY isn’t so much a practical skill as a state of mind. And though we might think of it as 20th-century phenomenon, the roots of DIY actually go back much further.

The story of this retro machine goes back over 100 years—and forward into our automated future.

The arrival of electricity brought us illumination at the flick of a switch. How has this technology changed our everyday lives?

Hoovering is an everyday chore, but the early vacuum cleaner was a technological feat that brought huge changes in how we clean our homes.