Sir Christopher Wren built the Royal Observatory in 1675 on the order of Charles II, who was fedup of losing his fleets at sea. A period of celestial observation began, and the attached museum charts the incredible search for longitude. It also covers the creation of the first maritime clock, while other exhibits examine the history of timekeeping from sundials to atomic clocks, and cover the origins of astronomy.

Why should I go there?

If you’re always late or wishing you could turn back time, curious about maritime history or just generally intrigued about how time is measured, you’ll find this interesting. The Observatory is up the hill in lovely Greenwich park. It’s a bit of stroll to get up there, but it’s worth it – the added benefit is a great view to the north across London. You might want t

o combine this with a visit to the National Maritime Museum nearby, and a stroll around Greenwich, one of London’s most charming locales with plenty of cafes and quirky second-hand shops to browse in.

Sir Christopher Wren built the Royal Observatory in 1675 on the order of Charles II, who was fedup of losing his fleets at sea. A period of celestial observation began, and the attached museum charts the incredible search for longitude. It also covers the creation of the first maritime clock, while other exhibits examine the history of timekeeping from sundials to atomic clocks, and cover the origins of astronomy.

Where is the Observatory?

In Greenwich Park - the nearest transport is the Cutty Sark DLR/Greenwich DLR/rail.

Homepage address

http://www.nmm.ac.uk/server/show/nav.2857