Steampunk exhibition at Royal Observatory

The Globe of Dislocation on display at the Royal Observatory

The Royal Observatory are currently running a steampunk exhibition surrounding the longitude problem. Named Longitude Punk’d, the display features creations from well known British steampunks such as Doctor Geof, Emilly Ladybird and Major Thadeus Tinker among others.

The exhibition allows visitors to have a glimpse of how steampunk would have designed technology to solve the longitude problem. Interestingly, the adventure is set in the 18th century yet uses steampunks from 100 years later. However, the first exhibit is The Globe of Dislocation. This machine is the remnant of a crashed time-travelling airship, which explains how the steampunks are out of their own time period.

The Commodore is your guide – a character devised from the mind of Robert Rankin – who said about the exhibition:

“It is an absolute honour to be chosen to exhibit my work at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, and to exhibit it alongside such artistic luminaries as Dr Geof and Herr Döktor, whose work I deeply admire.

“Am I pleased to be here? I am absolutely thrilled.”

There are nine steampunk artists that have been commissioned. Aside from the aforementioned Doctor Geof, Emilly Ladybird and Major Thadeus Tinker, you can also enjoy the works of Robert Rankin, Lady Raygun, Herr Döktor, Lady Elsie, The Alchemist and Citizen Griffdawg.

Longitude Punk’d opened 10 April 2014 and celebrates the madcap inventors, star-gazing scientists and extremely elegant explorers of the past, and delves into a world where sci-fi collides with 18th-century innovation.

To coincide with Longitude Punk’d, the Royal Observatory Greenwich will be hosting a dedicated events programme, including sci-fi screenings in the Peter Harrison Planetarium and an extravagant Steampunk ball.

Exhibition information for visitors:

Venue:   Royal Observatory Greenwich
Dates:   10 April 2014–4 January 2015
Opening times:    every day, 10.00–17.00
Visitor enquiries:   020 8858 4422 / www.rmg.co.uk
Admission:   Charges apply, please see www.rmg.co.uk for details