Royal Observatory To Start Charging

27 January 2011, 16:22 | Updated: 10 February 2011, 14:39

Visitors to the Royal Observatory in Greenwich are to be charged ten pounds for admission from this Spring.

The tariff, which will come into force on the eighth of March, will reverse the free entry scheme introduced at national museums in 2001 across the UK.

Admission will be charged for the Meridian Line courtyard and its buildings but the Astronomy Centre will remain free.

Children 15 and under won't have to pay.

In each case, tickets will also be an annual pass so that local and UK visitors in particular will be able to visit as many times as they like during the year for no additional charge.

A spokesperson for the Royal Observatory has told London's Heart that since 2001 visitor numbers have increased fourfold, to 1.6 million. That has substantially increased wear and tear on the site and the Museum needs to ensure that it has the resources to manage this increase in visitors safely, while improving their experience and maintaining the world-famous site and displays at the Observatory.