The Royal Observatory, Greenwich

A concise history of the iconic Royal Observatory, home to the historic Prime Meridian of the world and 0 Degrees longitude.

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Since 1765 the Royal Observatory has provided astronomical data for generations of astronomers and navigators. It is an elegant landmark in Greenwich and an essential reference location for our clocks, globes, maps and watches. But this important site has had many residents and served many more purposes, from observatory to family home, photographic studio, data processing centre, weather station, experimental laboratory and wartime shelter.

Discover these stories and more through a curated collection of objects and artworks that provide insight into the 350-year history of the site, along with the lives and work of those men and women who contributed so much to our understanding of astronomy, navigation and timekeeping.