137 Years of Popular Science Magazine…Totally Free!

Popular Science, the oldschoolest of how-to magazines that continues to capture the mind of manmakers and lay tinkerers, has assembled their entire archives -that’s 137 years – and made them available for free browsing. “Each issue appears just as it did at its original time of publication, complete with period advertisements. It’s an amazing resource that beautifully encapsulates our ongoing fascination with the future, and science and technology’s incredible potential to improve our lives.”

Says RetroThing: “It’s stunning to recall what a huge impact Popular Science had in the pre-internet days. I remember pouring over the “What’s New” section in each new issue in my grade school library when I was only 10 or 11. The weird little ads at the back were the most fun — a never ending parade of BB guns, hovercraft plans, windmills, canoe kits, small engine repair courses and even the occasional computer kit.

Incidentally, ninety years of Popular Science are in the public domain — the publishers neglected to renew copyright through 1963.”

This means the vintage ads, illustrations, schematics, projects, are all free to use in your own design, projects, and art!

Search the PopSci Archives [via RetroThing]