On Wednesday 17 July 2024, Professor Mark Thomson met with Lucy Cooke, Head of Development and Events, and Liz Avery, Deputy Head of Astronomy at the Royal Observatory Greenwich to discuss plans for redevelopment at the Observatory, which marks its 350th anniversary in 2025.

Professor Thomson is the UK supported candidate to be the next Director-General of CERN, the European Laboratory for Particle Physics. He is Professor of Experimental Particle Physics at the University of Cambridge and Executive Chair of the UKRI Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC). He has been one of the UK’s delegates to the CERN Council since 2018.

Professor Thomson is committed to the development of science infrastructure. One of his key objectives for CERN is the replacement of the Large Hadron Collider. He came to the Royal Observatory Greenwich to learn more about the redevelopment of the exhibitions, galleries and displays due to commence in 2026.

‘The Royal Observatory Greenwich has helped to set the blueprint for outreach and engagement by scientific institutes,’ Professor Thomson said. ‘Its journey from the world’s leading astronomical research facility to a museum that attracts hundreds of thousands each year shows the potential of research organisations to harness their scientific expertise to inspire the next generation to make tomorrow’s big breakthroughs. It has been wonderful to revisit the observatory and look ahead to 350 years of Greenwich astronomy.’

The Royal Observatory Greenwich is the oldest observatory in the UK. It was founded in 1675 by Charles II and was the home of the Astronomer Royal until 1972. The initial observatory was designed by Sir Christopher Wren, and there has been continued development of the site since. Installed in 1893, the Great Equatorial Telescope is the largest refracting telescope in the UK. Most recently, the Annie Maunder Astrographic Telescope was installed in 2018 to capture high-magnification views of the Sun, Moon and planets alongside filtered images of nebula and remnants of supernovas. 

The project to bring together this network of historic scientific buildings, entitled First Light, will establish the Royal Observatory as the leading centre for the public understanding of astronomy. A once in a generation capital project, the new galleries will tell the story of space, time and unlocking the mysteries of the Universe from the founding of the Royal Observatory to today. 

Lucy Cooke, Head of Development and Events at Royal Museums Greenwich, said, ‘We welcome the visit from Professor Thomson, whose championing of science infrastructure ensures we are at the cutting-edge of scientific discovery, and provides new opportunities for future generations. We look forward to working together as we embark on an exciting new chapter at the Royal Observatory Greenwich.’

The election of a new Director-General of CERN will take place later in 2024. 

 

Notes to editors

  1. The Royal Observatory Greenwich is home of Greenwich Mean Time and the Prime Meridian and is one of the most important historic scientific sites in the world. Since its founding in 1675, Greenwich has been at the centre of the measurement of time and space, and visitors today can still stand on the historic Prime Meridian line. The Observatory galleries and Peter Harrison Planetarium help unravel the extraordinary phenomena of time, space and astronomy. 

  1. The Royal Observatory Greenwich is part of Royal Museums Greenwich which also incorporates the National Maritime Museum, the 17th-century Queen’s House and the famous clipper ship Cutty Sark. This unique collection of museums and heritage buildings form a key part of the Maritime Greenwich UNESCO World Heritage Site and is also a major centre of education and research. The mission of Royal Museums Greenwich is to enrich people’s understanding of the sea, the exploration of space, and Britain's role in world history. For more information, visit www.rmg.co.uk.
     
  2. The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), is the UK’s largest public funder of research into particle and nuclear physics, astronomy and astrophysics, and space science. We operate five national laboratories across the UK which, supported by a network of additional research facilities, increase our understanding of the world around us and develop innovative technologies in response to pressing scientific and societal challenges. We also facilitate UK involvement in a number of international research activities including CERN, the James Webb Space Telescope and the Square Kilometre Array Observatory.

 

For further information or images, please contact:

Victoria Mottram, Royal Museums Greenwich Press Office

press@rmg.co.uk | 020 8312 6789