This course will provide students with a comprehensive overview of optical microscopy and various imaging technologies, including the latest advances. The course will start with basic concepts in optics, explaining how light-matter interactions generate contrast for imaging, and cover practical basics in optical microscopy. The course will then cover various optical microscopy modalities: widefield, structured illumination, confocal, multiphoton, and light sheet microscopies. The course will also introduce other advanced imaging techniques, including adaptive optics, label-free microscopy, and super-resolution imaging methods. In addition, the course will introduce recent advances in how artificial intelligence (AI) is applied in optical imaging. Upon completion of this course, students will become familiar with all the available options and develop the ability to choose the right tool for their future studies.