It is the intent of this thesis to discuss the establishment of a basic cryogenics laboratory in the Mechanical Engineering Department of Wichita State University. An attempt has been made to weigh the known and potential advan~ages of such a laboratory against the estimated costs of construction. It is anticipated that the reader will agree that a cryogenics laboratory at Wichita State University can improve the school's versatility in the field of scientific and technological education, and although expensive, is certainly worth consideration.