The correlation between morphological changes and DSC recordings gives valuable information on the mechanism of phase transformations. The present paper describes a new instrument for simultaneous DSC and thermomicroscopy in transmitted light, where a DSC device is placed in a commercially available hot-stage. The application of this DSC/thermomicroscopy is exemplified by study of the phase diagrams for KNO3--NaNO v diphenylamine---benzophenone and a liquid crystal system.Results obtained from thermoanalytical measurements such as DSC are usually reproducible and quantitative, but they cannot always readily be correlated with the respective phase transformation or chemical reaction occurring in the substance. Attempts have therefore been made to improve such thermoanalytical methods by a correlation between their results and the physical or chemical changes of the substances investigated.These combinations of methods have proved very successful. When performed simultaneously with DTA or DSC, for example, TG is a very powerful tool for studying the chemical stability and decomposition of a variety of materials. This paper demonstrates the usefulness of simultaneous DSC and hot-stage microscopy. Effects which do not show any significant enthalpy change in DSC can often be detected with microscopy. On the other hand, thermomicroscopic investigations often require estimates of heats of transformation, fusion or crystallization.Further, thermomicroscopy with DSC is a very good teaching method to introduce beginners to thermoanalytical investigations, for one can see changes in the investigated substance together with the course of the measured curve. However, the method can also be used for theoretical and practical considerations. For example, differences in the measurement of the same substance in various crucible materials, e.g. glass, aluminium and sapphire, become visible and can be studied.For the recognition of phase boundaries, it is mostly more simple if simultaneous thermomicroscopy/DSC can be used for the determination of phase diagrams, especially for very small concentrations of one of the components.