[1][2] It is Britain's largest learned society devoted to the history of science, technology, and medicine.

The society's aim is to bring together people with interests in all aspects of the field, and to publicise relevant ideas within the wider research and teaching communities and the media.

Its mission statement states the society will strive "to foster the understanding of the history and social impact of science, technology and medicine in all their branches in the academic and the wider communities, and to provide a national focus for the discipline.

"[3] Publications are a key feature of the society's professional activity.

[8] The society also awards several prizes: The society hosted an editathon at their annual conference in July 2015 at Swansea, which included wiki–skills training, and which resulted in better content on British scientists on Wikipedia.