#  Pope's Grand Orrery: Up Close & Personal 

 





November 06, 2023

 

 

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 [Pope's Grand Orrery](http://waywiser.fas.harvard.edu/objects/2186/grand-orrery?ctx=455fb467-fc78-4ecd-b24a-7a43a6d10485&idx=1) 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](/exhibitions/putnam-gallery)." It was also recently part of "[The Philosophy Chamber: Art & Science in Harvard's Teaching Cabinet, 1776-1820](https://harvardartmuseums.org/philosophychamber)" 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](/pope-orrery-workshop)**," 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](https://scholar.harvard.edu/saraschechner) and local horologist [Richard Ketchen](https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2020/03/harvards-keeper-of-historic-and-antique-clocks/) 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](https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2023/4/20/grand-orrery/)"**  
The Harvard Crimson, April 20, 2023

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   ![Researchers examine the Grand Orrery.](/sites/g/files/omnuum6316/files/styles/hwp_1_1__720x720_scale/public/chsi/files/limelight.jpg?itok=RPtU3eA6) 

 

   ![The orrery skirt disassembled.](/sites/g/files/omnuum6316/files/styles/hwp_1_1__720x720_scale/public/chsi/files/orrery_skirt.jpg?itok=jRxDC9Ck) 

 

  
  
   ![Main gear assembly of the orrery.](/sites/g/files/omnuum6316/files/styles/hwp_1_1__720x720_scale/public/chsi/files/gear_assembly.jpg?itok=N5pFjUnN) 

 

  
  
   ![The wooden base of the orrery.](/sites/g/files/omnuum6316/files/styles/hwp_1_1__720x720_scale/public/chsi/files/orrery_base.jpg?itok=eCigRcBi) 

 

  
  
   ![Representations of the sun and inner planets.](/sites/g/files/omnuum6316/files/styles/hwp_1_1__720x720_scale/public/chsi/files/inner_planets.jpg?itok=b6WqNFt6) 

 



 

 

 



 

 

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