In this article, Peter Sainsbury advocates the use of microscopes in the primary classroom to transform the familiar into something quite amazing. After Sainsbury's school borrowed a Royal Microscopical Society (RMS) Microscope Activity Kit, both Sainsbury and the school changed their attitude and approach to using microscopes in the primary classroom. The RMS offers a set of eight microscopes, complete with resources and spot-on-ideas, free to primary schools. Sainsbury and the school were so impressed by the microscopes themselves, the impact they had on the children's learning and the possibilities for further use, that they bought a set of their own. The microscopes created a "wow!" factor from the start--for children and adults alike. Going forward, the school has begun to explore the possibilities that using the microscopes offer including making cross-curricular links with art and literacy.