Greenwich Observatory The Royal Observatory, home of Greenwich Mean Time and the Prime Meridian line, is one of the most important historic scientific sites in the world. It was founded by Charles II in 1675 and is, by international decree, the official starting point for each new day, year and millennium (at the stroke of midnight GMT as measured from the Prime Meridian).The Royal Observatory is entering one of the most exciting periods in its history. The Time and Space Project is a £15 million redevelopment of the site which includes a new, state-of-the-art planetarium, new galleries and an education centre.The Observatory, part of the National Maritime Museum, is one of the most famous features of Maritime Greenwich – since 1997 a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visitors to the Observatory can stand in both the eastern and western
hemispheres simultaneously by placing their feet either side of the Prime
Meridian - the centre of world time and space. The Observatory galleries
unravel the extraordinary phenomena of time, space and astronomy, the
Planetarium lets visitors explore the wonders of the heavens and Flamsteed
House, |