This microscope set includes a die-cast metal microscope with a camera adaptor and a projection accessory, lots of blank slides and equipment to collect and prepare specimens, and several prepared slides get you up and running quickly.

We decided to use this microscope set for an Earth Day event at our daughter's school this year. The idea was to have a table set up where kids could view the microscopic world. All in all we had a positive experience.

The microscope unpacks quite easily and assembles in minutes. The manufacturer's recommended age for this set is 8 and up, but an adult or older child may need to help with the initial set up, installing two AA batteries (not included), changing the slides and making new slides. The batteries allow you to use the microscope to project onto a screen, although you'll need a dark room to do this. The eye piece needs to be assembled, this was not at all difficult however.

We jumped right in and used some of the sample specimens to get the kids going. The prepared specimen slides are excellent, and its fun to have the younger children guess what they are looking at through the microscope. The specimens include stained cross sections of plant stems. You can rotate the attached light filter to enhance the viewing.

The microscope adjusts easily, and with a good source of natural light we had no problems viewing many specimens.

In addition to the prepared slides, the set includes all the equipment necessary to create your own slides, such as tweezers, a knife, specimen vials, and a petri dish.

The set also includes a nice hard plastic carrying case. This could be more robust -- at first we found it awkward to fasten the lid -- but for the price it does the job, and after several openings and closings, we seemed to get the hang of it.