Herschel Museum of Astronomy

History

William Herschel moved to England as a musician in 1757 and settled in Bath in 1766, later joined by his brother Alexander in 1770 and his sister Caroline in 1772. The family lived at 19 New King Street between 1777 and 1782, the years in which William built his own telescopes and made his planetary discovery. His find led to his appointment as King's Astronomer to George III in 1782, and in 1787 Caroline began receiving a £50 royal salary. The house opened to the public as a museum in 1981.

Architecture

The museum occupies an unassuming 18th-century Bath townhouse, chosen by the Herschels for its ordinary appearance rather than any architectural distinction. Its plain Georgian front conceals the small workshop and garden where William ground his own telescope mirrors by hand.

Worth knowing

William Herschel's discovery of Uranus, made from this house's garden, doubled the known size of the solar system almost overnight. His sister Caroline, who lived and worked alongside him, became the first woman in Britain to be paid for scientific work when George III granted her an annual salary in 1787.

Gardens & grounds

The small rear garden is where William Herschel set up the telescope he used to find Uranus, and it remains part of the visitor route today.