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Royal Society, London

The 1650s form a significant landmark in the history of science. This decade saw the foundation of early scientific societies. The first such body to receive official recognition was Accademia del Cimento (Academy of Experiment) founded in Florence in 1653 by two of Galileo's former pupils. Sadly this society only lasted ten years before the Roman Catholic Church ended Italy's position at the forefront of science.

Before the Accademia's demise, the world's longest continuously enduring scientific society had begun to meet in London. From 1645 a group of scientifically minded people began to gather regularly in London. This group was centred around Katherine Boyle, Robert Boyle's clever sister. Known as the "Invisible College," meetings would be held at Katherine Boyle's house, or at Gresham College in Bishopsgate, an institution formed in 1597 to provide free public lectures. In 1662, under a charter from Charles II the Invisible College became the Royal Society. The Society had its headquarters first at Gresham College, then from 1780 at Somerset House in the Strand, and from 1967at its present home in Carlton House Terrace, just off the Mall. The success of the Royal Society, and that of its French equivalent the Academie des Sciences founded four years later, led to many imitations. These societies marked the moment when scientific investigation started to become part of the establishment, rather than being seen by the establishment as a threat.

 

 

 

Painting of the Royal Society in the stairwell

Since 1662 the Royal Society has witnessed many announcements of scientific milestones, and became a focus for collections of scientific artifacts, which in 1781 became the core collection of the early British Museum. In 2008 I visited a display of some of the Royal Society's oldest items. The very fact that I was looking at objects was part of the change the Royal Society represented. Before the sixteenth and seventeenth century Renaissance people did not tend to learn about the world by looking at things. Wisdom came through prayer, meditation, or the peripatetic method, which involved wandering around university grounds talking. At the Royal Society I saw a pair of iron spheres used by early scientist William Gilbert to study the Earth's magnetic nature, and which formed some of the conclusions presented in his book of 1600 Concerning Magnetism, Magnetic Bodies and the Great Magnet Earth. William Gilbert was actually looking carefully at things, and that was what marked the break with the past. We take museums full of objects to look at for granted these days, but they are actually an indication of the nature of the modern age. Nehemiah Grew, an early cataloguer of the Royal Society collection remarked "Instead of meddling with Mystick, Mythologick,or Hieroglyphick matters... I thought it much more proper to remarque some of the Uses and Reasons of Things." As a cataloguer of artifacts, Grew was well placed to be thinking in this way. Every time we go into a museum and look carefully at the objects in front of us we are in effect being scientists. Read more on our History of Museums page.

 

 

 

Opening Times: The Royal Society is not officially open to the public, but if you make an appointment first you should be able to visit. The exhibition space is in the basement, and is looked after by the library. Visitors will be asked to register as readers with the library before being taken down to the exhibition. The Royal Society Library is open 10am - 5pm Monday to Friday.

Address: The Royal Society, 6-9 Carlton House Terrace, London SW1Y 5AG

Directions: Carlton House Terrace is just off the Mall in west London. Click here for an interactive map centred on the Royal Society.

Access: There are steps at the entrance. There is lift access up to the library, and down to the exhibition area. Ring ahead to discuss your needs.

Contact:

telephone: 020 7451 2500

library telephone: 020 7451 2606

library fax: 020 7930 2170

web site: http://royalsociety.org/

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