§ 86. Sir E. Keelingasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will make a statement about the handing over to the National Maritime Museum of the observatory at Greenwich, built by 57W Wren, in which astronomical observations have been made for nearly 300 years; and whether the building will be open to the public next year, so that visitors to this country for the Coronation may see it and its old instruments.
§ Mr. J. P. L. ThomasThe move of the Observatory from Greenwich to Herstmonceux Castle must for technical reasons take quite a long time and I do not think that it can be completed before 1956. As buildings become vacant they are handed over to the Ministry of Works, who are renovating some of these before re-allocating them to the National Maritime Museum for the eventual display of the historic astronomical instruments which have been associated with the long history of the Observatory.
I am considering whether it will be possible to open to the public buildings still occupied by the Observatory as my hon. Friend suggests. The opening of any buildings handed over to the National Maritime Museum involves staff questions which are under consideration by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.