Editing Royal Observatory, Greenwich (section)

==Observatory museum==
[[File:Royal observatory Greenwich.JPG|thumb|upright=1.5|Tourists flock to the Observatory museum, 2009]]

The observatory buildings at Greenwich became a museum of astronomical and navigational tools, which is part of the Royal Museums Greenwich.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rmg.co.uk/|title=Royal Museums Greenwich : Sea, Ships, Time and the Stars : RMG|date=25 August 2015}}</ref> Notable exhibits include [[John Harrison]]'s pioneering [[marine chronometer|chronometer]], known as [[John Harrison#H4|H4]], for which he received a large reward from the [[Board of Longitude]], and his three earlier marine timekeepers; all four are the property of the [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]]. Many additional horological artefacts are displayed, documenting the history of precision timekeeping for navigational and astronomical purposes, including the mid-20th-century Russian-made F.M. Fedchenko clock (the most accurate pendulum clock ever built in multiple copies). It also houses the astronomical instruments used to make meridian observations and the 28-inch equatorial [[Howard Grubb|Grubb]] [[refracting telescope]] of 1893, the largest of its kind in the UK. The [[Shepherd Gate Clock|Shepherd Clock]] outside the observatory gate is an early example of an [[Clock#Synchronized or slave clocks|electric slave clock]].

In 1997 the observatory site was getting 400,000 visitors per year.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Masood|first=Ehsan|date=1997-08-01|title=Royal observatory could return to Greenwich site|journal=Nature|language=en|volume=388|issue=6644|pages=705|doi=10.1038/41849|bibcode=1997Natur.388R.705.|issn=1476-4687|doi-access=free}}</ref>

In February 2005 a £16&nbsp;million redevelopment comprising a new [[planetarium]] and additional display galleries and educational facilities was started; the ROG reopened on 25 May 2007 with the new 120-seat [[Peter Harrison Planetarium]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rmg.co.uk/work-services/news-press/press-release/reopening-new-royal-observatory-greenwich |title=Press Release: Reopening of the new Royal Observatory, Greenwich |website=Royal Museums Greenwich |date=27 June 2007}}</ref>

For a year between 2016 and 2017 the Museum reported 2.41 million visitors.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/628588/HC_108_NMM_16-17_Web.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190725195606/https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/628588/HC_108_NMM_16-17_Web.pdf |archive-date=2019-07-25 |url-status=live|title=National Maritime Museum Annual Report and Accounts 2016-2017}}</ref>

In July 2024, Royal Museums Greenwich announced plans for a redevelopment of the Royal Observatory site to improve the visitor experience.<ref>{{cite web |title=Royal Museums Greenwich Royal Observatory Greenwich Project |url=https://docs.planning.org.uk/20240816/53/_GRNW_DCAPR_120992/txz08nlz8v4xxfds.pdf |website=Planning.org |access-date=8 April 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Planning Application Summary: Full Regeneration of the Royal Observatory Site |url=https://planning.royalgreenwich.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?keyVal=_GRNW_DCAPR_120991&activeTab=summary |website=Royal Borough of Greenwich |access-date=8 April 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Major refurbishment of the Royal Observatory Greenwich proposed |url=https://www.ianvisits.co.uk/articles/major-refurbishment-of-the-royal-observatory-greenwich-proposed-74958/ |access-date=8 April 2025 |work=IanVisits |date=23 August 2024}}</ref>
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