Eversince ancient times, instruments similar to how microscopes are used have been described, that is they magnify objects too small to be seen by the naked eye. But it was not until 1590 that Zacharias Janssen formalized its use. Since then, a variety of microscopes have been invented to accomodate different fields of study. Among these innovations is the inverted microscope. The inverted microscope is an upside down version of the conventional light microscope. While the light microscope allows the observer to look down on the specimen because its objectives point down, the inverted microscope allows the viewer to look up at through the bottom of the specimen plate sitting on the stage. The inverted microscopes parts still consist of a base at the bottom of the microscope that supports its whole sturcture. The stage, which is platform that supports the petri dishes, slides and other glasswares that hold the specimen. It has a space in the middle that allows light and the image of the specimen to pass through. Some interval microscopes have an attachable mechanical stage that allows the dish to be adjusted. Other models have stage extension plates to accomodate larger glassware.

The arm in the conventional microscope that was used to support the tube and connect it to the base has been replaced by a lamp housing pillar, that as its name suggests, contains the light source of the microscope. The inverted microscope also has objectives and a nosepice, like the conventional microscope. The important difference however is that these are found under the stage rather than above it. There are usually 3 to 4 objectives that allows the viewer to change the magnification under which the specimen is being viewed. The shortest objectives are usually the weakest, with magnifications of 4x and 10x. The longest objects on the other hand, have the greatest power reaching magnifications of up to 400x and 1000x. The objectives lenses are colorcoded and may be interchangeable among standard microscopes The revolving nosepiece holds two or more objectives. This allows the objectives to be rotated to change the power of the magnification. The apperture, iris diaphragm, phase slider, condenser and light source are found above the stage. These are the parts that allow light to project the image of the the specimen into the objectives and into the observers eyes through the binocular tube and the eyepiece. The binocular tube is not upright but inserted at an angle.

Above the binocular tube is the eyepiece through which the specimen is appreciated. A diopter adjustment ring to correct the difference between the eyepieces from one observer to the next is found with the binocular tube. The fine and coarse adjustment tubes which were mainstays of the conventional microscope are still employed in the inverted microscope. The coarse adjustment knob brings the specimen into approximte focus and is usually only used with the low-power objectives. The fine adjustment knob brings the specimen into final focus or refine its view. The inverted microscope looks like a conventional microscope but on a closer look, it is, as its name implies, inverted. The inverted microscope has opened a whole new world for biology and allowed a peek into the diverse world of microorganisms.