Royal Observatory, London

The Royal Observatory is famous for being the place where longitude and Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) were founded.

The Observatory consists of several buildings that were comissioned by King Charles II to study astonomy. The oldest building is Flamsteed House, designed by Christopher Wren and built in 1675. Flamsteed House was home to the Royal astronomers and today you can take a glimpse at their private quarters, see the time ball in action and explore artefacts associated with time and the importance of time in our lives.

Visitors to the Observatory can see a range of artefacts used by the Royal astronomers including their telescopes and timepieces. There are several astronomy galleries exploring how planets were formed, the mysteries of the universe and the opportunity to guide a space mission. The galleries have lots interactive exhibits to engage children on the universe that surrounds us.

Outside, you can stand on the Meridian line at exactly 0° longitude and the centre of world time. You can also observe the time ball on the Flamsteed House; the earliest public time signal ever.

If all that exploring has left you wanting more then you can visit the Observatory's state of the art planetarium which uses Europe's first digital laser planetarium projector. This gives audiences the opportunity to look back at Earth from space as well as viewing images from space probes. There are daily shows ranging from Star Life and Sky Tonight Live, the website has full details on times of showings and how to book in advance.

Opening Times

Monday to Sunday 10 until 5pm

Closed 24-26 December

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Ticket Prices

Admission to the Royal Observatory’s Astronomy Centre which houses three state-of-the-art modern astronomy galleries is free.

Admission to the Royal Observatory’s historic Flamsteed House, Time Galleries, Meridian Line Courtyard and Meridian Building:
Adults £10
Concessions £7.50
Children under 16: Free.

The £10 entry is an annual pass (visitors are able to return as many times as they like within 12 months for no additional charge).

Planetarium tickets:
Adults £6.50
Children and Concessions £4.50
Family Ticket £17.50

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Disabled Facilities

There is wheelchair access to all levels and galleries, and there are aids for blind and partially sighted visitors.

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More Information

Telephone: 020 8858 4422
Email: bookings@nmm.ac.uk

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