Advanced instrumentation and versatile setups are needed for understanding interaction of light with biological targets. However, conventional biophotonic instruments and laboratory equipment are often bulky and expensive. Therefore, we designed the Biophotonics, Imaging, Optical, Spectral, Polarimetric, Angular, and Compact Equipment (BIOSPACE) as both a pedagogical tool and a platform for conducting research. Here we report the design and capabilities of the platform, as well as its implementation in a graduate physics course.