350 years after the Royal Observatory was founded, we are embarking on a once-in-a-lifetime project to unlock the site’s potential and transform it for present and future generations.
Our plans include critical works to conserve the Observatory’s listed buildings and create a sustainable future for the site. This is also an opportunity to improve physical access and visitor circulation, rethink the stories that we tell, and create a more engaging and dynamic visitor experience.
The vision
Tap the arrows to learn more about this historic project.
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Revitalising the historic landscape
Inspired by the Observatory’s rich history and the beautiful surroundings of Greenwich Park, our new landscape will bring the site together and set our buildings in a lush green space. We’ll create new areas for visitors to relax, and places to tell new stories, while improving the sustainability of the site.
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A new welcome
The Observatory is a place where history meets innovation, and this will begin with our new entrance. Inspired by the elegance of navigational instruments, the pavilion will create a new gateway at the heart of our site. It will guide visitors in while creating a more seamless fusion with the surrounding park and help with orientation across the whole site.
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Access for all
We want all audiences to enjoy our treasured collections and so we’re committed to making our historic buildings more accessible to visitors. Plans will ensure important areas, like the Great Equatorial Telescope, will become accessible for the first time in their history ensuring everyone can explore the home of time.
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New space for discovery
A new Astronomers’ court will allow visitors to immerse themselves in the latest scientific discoveries while getting hands on with live sessions from our astronomers. We’ll also open up the facades of our South Building to give easy access to the cafe and shop on the lower ground floor, and a route to the newly refurbished galleries above.
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Reviving the Meridian Observatory
Home to the Airy Transit Circle, the telescope that defined the Prime Meridian of the World, we will ensure that the Meridian Observatory is returned to its rightful place as the beating heart of the site. Our proposals will breathe new life throughout its rooms where the rhythms of work, life and discovery will intertwine.
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Redisplaying the collection
Our galleries will be upgraded in different ways, each respecting the site’s unique architecture. Our proposals seek to evoke a sense of atmosphere, reflecting the site’s role as a working observatory – a place of life and activity. New stories will underline the links between time and space, ensuring that visitors understand the fundamental scientific concepts and the significance of the Royal Observatory’s work.
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