Royal Observatory Greenwich
A hilltop observatory in Greenwich Park marking the Prime Meridian, home to historic telescopes and the origin point of world time zones.
- Landmark
- Price: ££ · Mid-range
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Did you know
The observatory was founded in 1675 by Charles II specifically to improve navigation at sea, and the Prime Meridian it established in 1884 as the world's zero-degree longitude line is why Greenwich Mean Time became the international time standard.
Local tip
Buy a combined ticket covering the Prime Meridian courtyard and the historic Flamsteed House galleries, and go at dusk for a planetarium show if you want to combine the visit with an evening event.
Finding it
- Address
- Blackheath Avenue, Greenwich Town Centre, East Greenwich, Royal Borough of Greenwich, Greater London, England, SE10 8XJ
- Nearest station
- Maze Hill (National Rail), 658 m away
Details change, so check with the place before you set off.
More places nearby
- Greenwich Park (General Wolfe Statue)A hilltop viewpoint by the Royal Observatory with the whole of Canary Wharf and the Thames laid out below.
- National Maritime MuseumA free museum of Britain's seafaring history in Greenwich, holding the world's largest collection of maritime art, maps, and ship models.
- The Fan MuseumA small museum in a pair of Grade II* listed 1721 townhouses on Crooms Hill devoted entirely to hand fans, with an orangery with murals and a Japanese-style garden behind.
- Old Royal Naval CollegeA Baroque riverside complex in Greenwich designed by Christopher Wren, its grounds free to explore and its Painted Hall open for a separate ticket.