The world’s oldest clock museum has closed to the public — because it is about to move home.
Established in 1814, the Clockmakers’ Collection is the oldest collection of clocks and watches in the world, with the majority of the 1250 timepieces dating from between c.1600 and c.1850.
It was also a little known museum that sat in the modern building next to Guildhall in the City of London and as such was one of my favourite “hidden gems” of London.
It has been part of the Guildhall collection since 1874, but it seems that lease renewal negotiations were not successful.
So, it is to move — to the Science Museum, and will be incorporated within the larger museum’s existing collection of clocks.
Set to open during summer 2015, the Clockmakers’ Collection will be situated on the second floor of the Science Museum.
Whilst it is undeniably a good thing that the clock museum’s collection will be more discoverable by people who might only visit the larger museums, I am saddened at the loss of another small specialist space that had offered a unique dedicated museum of one sort of object.
I should add… no point visiting the old museum now, it’s closed.
I would have liked to have seen it go to the Royal Observatory at Greenwich.
Oh then I am very pleased we saw it when we visited London (from Australia) last year.