Pope's Grand Orrery has long been a star object of the Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments, where it looms large at the entrance to our Putnam Gallery, welcoming visitors to "Time, Life, & Matter: Science in Cambridge." It was also recently part of "The Philosophy Chamber: Art & Science in Harvard's Teaching Cabinet, 1776-1820" at the Harvard Art Museums.
Earlier this fall, November 2-3, 2023, the Pope's Grand Orrery took another bow. Historians of science, as well as specialists in the fields of furniture, labor, politics, and clocks gathered for "Creating an Ordered World in Disordered Times: The Pope Orrery," a workshop to interpret the orrery from their diverse vantage points. Together they used the Pope Orrery as a mise-en-scène for an examination of Boston and the British world during the American Revolution. The result of all this scrutiny will be publication of an in-depth profile of this vivid expression of Enlightenment science from a soon-to-be post-colonial America.
In preparation for what turned out to be a fascinating event, David P Wheatland Curator Sara Schechner and local horologist Richard Ketchen disassembled the orrery, carefully documenting its complex inner workings (see photos below). The resulting observations and research were integral to discussions during the workshop.
"Reviving the Wonders of the Solar System:
The Restoration of Harvard's 236-Year-Old Grand Orrery"
The Harvard Crimson, April 20, 2023
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