Ticketed

Essential Information

Type Talks and tours
Location
Date and Times Wednesday 19 June 2024 | 6.30pm-7.30pm
Prices Free for Members – booking required

Member exclusive. Not a member? Join now

Join award-winning historian Violet Moller to tour the intellectual heart of early European science. Based on her book Inside the Stargazer’s Palace, this talk will reveal a dazzling forgotten world, where all knowledge, no matter how arcane, could be pursued in good faith - from the icy Danish observatory of Tycho Brahe, to the smoky, sulphur-stained workshop of John Dee.

In 1543, Nicolaus Copernicus declared the earth revolved around the Sun, overturning centuries of scholastic presumption. A new age was coming into view – one guided by observation, technology and logic. But omens and elixirs did not disappear from the sixteenth-century laboratory. Charms and potions could still be found nestled between glistening brass instruments and leather-bound tomes. The line between the natural and supernatural remained porous, yet to be defined.

A scintillating journey into a world where discoveries rip through doctrine like meteors. There is magic in these pages

Daisy Dunn, author of The Missing Thread

Not already a Member?

Join today for a host of exclusive benefits and events, including unlimited free entry to Cutty Sark, the Royal Observatory, shows at the Peter Harrison Planetarium, and special exhibitions at the National Maritime Museum.

With Membership starting from as little as £50, what are you waiting for? Membership is your time to explore!

What’s On

More Member events at Royal Museums Greenwich.

Talks and tours | Member events

Members' Tour

Embark on a voyage of discovery around the Museum in the company of one of our volunteer guides
Various dates | 11am - 12pm
Free for Members | Booking essential
In Greenwich
Talks and tours | Member events

Members' Lecture: The Mirror of Great Britain

Join author Clare Jackson as we travel back in time to discover more about one of Britain’s most consequential and interesting monarchs, James I.
Wednesday 24 September 2025 l 6.30pm
Free Entry
National Maritime Museum
Talks and tours | Member events

Members' Lecture: Meet the Modern Map and Globe Makers

Join Tim May, Curator of Maps and Mobilities, for an exploration of Royal Museums Greenwich's unique cartographic collection and meet two contemporary makers
Tuesday 30 September 2025 | 6.30pm
Free Entry
National Maritime Museum
Family fun | Member events

Members' crafting

Join us for exclusive craft workshops, just for Members.
Every other month | 11am-11.45am, 12.15pm-1pm, 1.30pm-2.15pm, 2.45pm-3.30pm
Free for Family Members – booking required
In Greenwich
Talks and tours | Royal Observatory 350th anniversary

Members' Lecture: Astrophotography at the Royal Observatory - behind the scenes

Join Royal Observatory astronomer Jake Foster as he details the latest observations made from the Observatory.
Wednesday 15 October 2025 l 6.30pm-7.30pm
Free | Members only
National Maritime Museum
Talks and tours | Member events

Members' Lecture: Royal Observatory Greenwich: A History in Objects

Join Dr Louise Devoy as she explores the rich legacy of the Royal Observatory, Greenwich through 100 fascinating objects
Thursday 16 October 2025 | 6.30pm
Free Entry
National Maritime Museum
Talks and tours | Member events

Flamsteed Lecture: The Chemistry of the Universe

A Flamsteed Astronomy Society lecture with Professor Mike Edmunds
Monday 20 October 2025 | Doors at 6.30pm, event starts at 7.15pm
Flamsteed Members: FREE | Guests of Flamsteed Members: £15 | Royal Museums Greenwich Members: £12
National Maritime Museum
Talks and tours | Member events

Members' Lecture: The Battle of Trafalgar at the Queen’s House

Celebrate Trafalgar Day with us and hear from art curator Katherine Gazzard on the history and symbolism of this awe-inspiring naval scene
Tuesday 21 October 2025 | 6.45pm
Free Entry
Queen's House
Family fun | Member events

Members' Family Storytelling: Polly Plum, Brave Adventurer

Join author Jonathan Sellars as we delve into the story of Polly Plum, Brave Adventurer
Tuesday 28 October 2025 l 10.30am-11.00am, 11.15am-11.45am
Free Entry
National Maritime Museum