Historic attraction where ‘time began' in the UK reveals £77million redevelopment

The Sun

2 days ago

THE Royal Observatory in Greenwich is undergoing a multi-million pound transformation.
Work will start in September to upgrade the observatory building with new gardens as well as accessibility routes to the telescope for the first time.
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The observatory, which is within Royal Museums Greenwich, is marking its 350th anniversary with a transformation.
The project called 'First Light' will upgrade and create new spaces around the observatory.
Of the £77million budget, £50.5 million has been secured so far, with the money going towards an entry pavilion for visitors as well as a garden walk.
Accessibility will increase around the site with new routes set to be created to the Great Equatorial Telescope and Planetarium.
This will include a lift tower, which will provide full accessibility to the Great Equatorial Telescope for the first time.
The existing galleries will be refreshed with new and interactive astronomy displays being installed.
A new space called 'Astronomers Court' will be created and used for events, retail and a cafe.
Outside, there will be new landscaping and the planting of trees and plants to blend the observatory into its surroundings in Greenwich Park.
The project is set to begin in autumn 2025 with all work set to be completed by spring 2028.
There are warnings of phased closures while work on the project is taking place throughout the observatory.
Deer have returned to Greenwich Park
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The observatory building was designed by Christopher Wren in 1675 and is Britain's oldest building that was purpose-built for science.
The Royal Observatory is the birthplace of astronomy, and is considered where 'time began' because it's the home of Greenwich Mean Time, and the Prime Meridian.
Since 1884, the world's time zones have been measured from a line at the Royal Observatory.
And GMT, which means Greenwich Mean Time, is what we all set our clocks to.
Outside of the Royal Observatory, near the courtyard, is The Meridian Line, and if you put one foot either side of it, you'll be standing in both the western and eastern hemispheres.
The Royal Observatory sits on a hill in Greenwich Park in south east London, overlooking the River Thames.
For anyone wanting to visit, the Great Equatorial Telescope is in the Octagon Room, and is the oldest part of the observatory.
Entry to the Royal Observatory costs £24 for adults and £12 for children (4-15).
Tickets for students are £18 and children under four go free.
There's a planetarium there, too, which does a variety of shows and are bookable online.
Guided tours around the observatory are an additional £5 per adult and £2.20 for children, which take visitors to see the observatory's most treasured objects.
But make sure to check in on the website for opening dates and times as the upgrades might change these.
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