Carefully preserved - an old chemical balance. It's all electronic nowadays.

“Chemistry was a subject taken by the privileged few, after the Senior Cambridge Local. There were three of us, I remember, when I began, and my chief recollection of that is sitting round the fire, talking Chemistry, and at intervals letting loose horrible smells, to the great annoyance of our neighbours in the Studio, the laboratory being the present UVI Form Room.”
from a nineteenth century pupil

"It is satisfactory to find that a substantial subject like chemistry is given priority in the science course. This is the main subject taught, and it is taken by a substantial number of the older girls."
from the 1922 inspection report

"The Chemistry lab was right up beyond the studio. It had those tiered seats, an L-shaped room. When we did practical work we came down to the benches. "
from a 1930s pupil

"The chemical laboratory is fitted for 24 girls but it is an awkward shape for practical work and also has to be used as a classroom. One side contains raised benches, but the demonstration bench facing them is not really adequate. "
from the 1933 inspection report

Chemistry,1950s, in the old lab
(now M11)

"I think the most exciting thing was our Chemistry mistress. She didn’t seem to relate very well to people, though she was probably a very good teacher. She didn’t seem to communicate very well. I can remember her setting up a demonstration experiment, we were in the tiered seats, and I can remember her saying ‘it’s going to explode, it’s going to explode, and she left the lab! Couldn’t get out of there fast enough! And we were all sitting there!"
from a 1950s pupil

 

"A lot of our chemistry was talk and watch, and write down what you’ve seen, rather than hands on. I don’t think you got hands on until you reached O Level."
from a 1950s pupil

"They did a lot, surprisingly, a lot of practical work. I’ve since been told that they don’t do so much practical work now in the chemistry lab. It was non-stop, period after period.. "
from the senior lab assistant, 1950s-1980s

Moles play an important part in the understanding of chemical reactions, so there are always plenty about in today's chemistry laboratory!