Abstract: A disposable tissue culture device, particularly for aerobic cultures, comprising a tissue culture dish containing at least one shallow culture chamber for the growth of microorganisms, and a cover for the culture dish to prevent the entrance of contaminants, the cover being in contact with the contents of each culture chamber over the entire culture chamber to provide optimal viewing of each culture chamber by light microscopy through a transparent cover window, standoffs being provided between the cover and the culture dish to assure atmospheric communication between each culture chamber and ambient atmosphere, minimum annular space being provided between the cover and upper edge of each culture chamber to maintain an almost enclosed, constant volume in each culture chamber to hold the culture stable during culturing, handling and vibration, yet permit the culture to breathe.

Abstract: A miniature, biological incubator for continuous light microscopic observation of cells in cell cultures under environmentally controlled conditions for use in conjunction with petri dishes or similar types of culture dishes, in which different covers are provided to accommodate different types of microscopes and magnification, the incubator being small enough to fit on a microscope stage and to have a sufficiently small internal volume to facilitate maintenance of a controlled atmosphere having stable temperature, humidity and mixture of gases therein and to permit rapid restoration of controlled environment lost during replacement of dishes or during changing of covers to suit particular microscopic observation.