Pasteur at 200

“Pasteur at 200” commemorates the work of French chemist Louis Pasteur, born December 27, 1822, along with his longer scientific legacy, which continues today. If you drink pasteurized milk, or if you take your pet for a rabies shot, Pasteur was the renowned chemist behind these innovations, among many others.
Pasteur was celebrated in his lifetime for discoveries that helped propel changes in industry, science, and medicine. With his colleagues, he clarified the role of microbes in fermentation, and developed a process called pasteurization to prolong the shelf life for wines and beers. Pasteur also helped establish the laboratory development of vaccines in animals and humans, expanding on a larger germ theory of disease.
By examining aspects of Pasteur’s work, this exhibition highlights how Pasteur remained in the public’s eye for centuries after his death, and how much of his legacy still resonates in our everyday lives.
Open to the public by appointment. Request appointment by emailing historical.library@yale.edu
Note: Please see the library’s COVID updates to current public health protocols: https://library.yale.edu/news/covid-library-updates