Herstmonceux science centre set to leave historic observatory: petition and ‘Save the OSC’ community letter now online
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The Centre, based at the Herstmonceux observatory, said it needs to move before the end of 2026 because its lease is not being renewed.
It opened in 1995 and welcomes about 60,000 visitors a year to its Grade II listed building.
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Hide AdActing chief executive Abbie Rumbold said she hoped moving will ‘allow us to develop, with more space for science indoors and out’.


The Royal Observatory at Herstmonceux employed nearly 200 scientists after moving from Greenwich in the 1950s. The building was constructed to house three reflecting and three refracting telescopes in six green domes. In the early 1990s it fell into disuse until the Observatory Science Centre was opened. An extensive programme of repair and upgrading of the buildings and telescopes was completed in 2004 with the aid of a National Heritage Lottery Fund grant. The domes and telescopes will remain at the existing site.
Ms Rumbold said: “The charity is on the hunt for new premises that will allow us to continue our mission of bringing science to the community. We are looking forward to a great summer and then a year packed full of events for our 30th anniversary in 2025. Please contact me if you know somewhere you think might suit us.”
When asked what would happen to the Observatory buildings after the move, The Centre’s Sandra Voss said: “We’d love to know. If anyone can tell us we’d be pleased to hear. We’ve put our heart and soul into this project; all we aimed to do was preserve and conserve this important building. The building was formerly non-operational and had fallen into disuse. It was not in a fit state to be opened. Fortunately we received Heritage Lottery Funds to bring it up to a standard when it could be opened. It has been an amazing success and people come from all over the country and overseas. It’s particularly valuable for children and students. We’ve had amazing response from everyone about the closure – their views came over loud and clear.”
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She said their landlords are Herstmonceux castle, which is owned by Queens University Canada. So far the Express has been unable to find out anything about the future of the buildings. The university was approached for comment but has not responded yet.
Solar physicist Dr Ryan French, who is from East Sussex and now works at the National Solar Observatory in Boulder, Colorado, is organising a survey to collect community responses. People can contribute at www.SaveTheOSC.com where Dr French will curate responses into a letter to Queen’s University.
The website said: “This form is to collect community contributions in a letter for the estate landlords, collecting anecdotes from the public and astronomy professionals to advocate for the importance of the Observatory Science Centre at its current location as a key asset to our community, and vouch for the excellent job of the OSC in being custodians of the historic site.”
A separate ‘Save the Observatory Science Centre Herstmonceux’ petition has been started at www.change.org. A message on the page said: “(The Science Centre) should not have to leave the Observatory site at all and the historic site should be preserved for future generations as a great educational tool of significant historical importance.”
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