Royal Observatory Greenwich & Prime Meridian Entry Ticket London
Description
A visit to London is not complete without visiting the Royal Observatory Greenwich where you will stand astride the Prime Meridian Line, with one foot in the east and the other in the west, at the home of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time). Walk in the footsteps of the Astronomers Royal, discover their stories, and experience the past, present and future wonders of astronomy, space and the stars. Enjoy dramatic views of London across Greenwich Royal Park, the City of London and the River Thames.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Make your way to the Royal Observatory Greenwich which is located on a hill in Greenwich Royal Park. As you do, you will enjoy dramatic views of London across Greenwich Royal Park, the City of London and the River Thames. Once inside, you can pick up a complementary audio guide. There are 7 languages available. Your visit will begin in the Meridian Courtyard where you will stand astride the Prime Meridian Line, with one foot in the east and the other in the west at the home of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). The tour will take you through Flamsteed House where you will walk in the footsteps of the Astronomers Royal. Visit the Octagon Room which was designed by Sir Christopher Wren and is one of the best preserved Wren interiors in London. See Harrison’s clocks, the inventions that changed the world. Discover the Shepherd Gate Clock, mounted outside, which was the first clock to show Greenwich Mean Time to the public. Learn about the discoveries of great scientists and inventors based at or associated with the Royal Observatory, including Harrison, Newton, Halley, Bradley, Maunder, Harrison, Airy, Einstein. The bright red Time Ball on top of Flamsteed House is one of the world’s earliest public time signals and was first used in 1833 and still operates today. Don’t miss the Great Equatorial Telescope, located in the huge iconic onion dome, which gave astronomers new views of the universe over 100 years ago. Located in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Maritime Greenwich, the National Maritime Museum and the Queen’s House are both located within a short walking distance from the Observatory and are free to visit. Cutty Sark, the world’s sole-surviving tea clipper is now an award-winning museum and visitor experience and is a must-see when visiting Greenwich.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Children under the age of 4 years are free to enter the attraction
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Please note that certain parts of the attraction are not fully accessible, please contact the attraction if you need assistance planning your visit
Reviews(394)
Suitable for those interested in the history of astronomy and watchmaking.
My husband and I took the Thames Clipper Uber boat from the Westminster pier in London which was such an easy and enjoyable way to get to Greenwich. My research did not uncover the walk up to the Observatory; more difficult for my husband, but it is shady and there are lots of benches. I guess a shuttle is available on the weekend. I loved this so much more than I expected. I found the audio device very helpful and although we missed the museum provided tour (for an extra charge), for a portion of our walking around we were close enough to hear the guide, and it appeared very helpful and interesting. I love history and although I was familiar with the concept of Greenwich Mean Time, I did not completely understand the laborious and lengthy process it took for scientists and astronomers to establish a standard of time that could apply worldwide. The exhibits and especially the placards were well done and very informative. It was so surprising for me to learn that the 24 time zones of the world were only adopted in the 1880's. We visited in late May, when a record heat wave was occuring (90+ degrees ) and so didn't linger after completing our visit. However, the grounds appeared extensive, and well kept and such a great view across the Thames of London.
We hadn’t realised this was an audio tour where we had to use our phones to listen to the commentary. We had a time slot but could have gone any time really. You scan a QR code and off you go . To be honest we put our phones away and just read the information sheets as we went around. It’s quite an interesting place to visit. It’s £10 on Tuesdays and I think that’s a fair price to pay
Paul Miller was by far one of the best tour guides ever. I didn't even know I was interested in astronomy until I met Paul. He was so knowledgeable, kind, and clever, and I wouldn't be surprised if in a prior life he was an actor or a comedian. You will learn about science and history. The tour was only an additional £5, and it was totally worth it. A++++++
The guided tour was very informative - well worth paying for. Learned a lot more than if I had just done the self-guided.
Hi There, Thank you for your feedback, it's great to hear that purchasing the ticket for the guided tour added a little sparkle to your visit with us. We look forward to welcoming you back in the future.
You must take the tour if you go - you get so much more of the experience and the tour guides are great. My teenage son and I really enjoyed our afternoon there!
Hi There, Thank you for leaving us some feedback. We do shout this from the rooftops of the Observatory but it is always great to hear that we're not the only ones who think our tour guides are fantastic at delivering the history of the Observatory in a very quick 45 minute tour. We are very glad that both yourself and your son had a great afternoon with us learning all things Time and Space for the Royal Observatory
Was a great experience. I enjoyed really.
Hi There, We're thrilled to hear you had a great experience visiting us at the Royal Observatory, we look forward to welcoming you back in the future
The views from the mount are spectacular. Although it’s quite a steep ascent, it only takes a few minutes to get to the top. The displays are informative. It is only £10 to enter on a Tuesday this month, instead of the normal £24. It was quiet when we were there.
Hi There, Thank you for taking the time to leave us a review and some feedback about your visit to the Royal Observatory. Currently during June, every Tuesday we are having a promotion on our tickets so they are £10. Please keep an eye on our website for more upcoming summer deals on our tickets so you can make the most of your visit to Greenwich. During the summer, we receive an influx of overseas visitors usually from 10am, so we do recommend visiting in late afternoon/early evening to avoid the queues; we are open until 7pm until August 31st (last entry at 6pm)
For only extra £5, I have had a great guided tour of the Observatory. Thank you so much to the lady guide who made it a wonderful experience
Hi AlexSorana, Thank you for taking the time to leave us some feedback about your guided tour of the Royal Observatory. We're very pleased to hear you found the tour great, we will pass your kind words on to our team who deliver these tours daily. They all work incredibly hard to deliver the immense history of the site in a 45 minute condensed version and it's great to see that their drive and passion is enjoyed by people like yourself.
Standing on the historic Prime Meridian and exploring the time galleries was an incredible experience. A visit to the Royal Observatory is great value, especially with the array of special offers and multi-attraction discounts like the Greenwich Day Pass. A fascinating piece of history made totally accessible and affordable. Highly recommend checking online for deals before visiting!
Hi There, Thank you for taking the time to leave us some feedback about your visit to the Royal Observatory. We're very pleased to hear you had such a fun day out and that we got to be a part of that experience for you. We have a Day Pass which combines entry to the Observatory and the Cutty Sark, please do check our website out for summer deals on our tickets.
