Join physicist Alan Lightman, horologist Richard Ketchen, second-generation clock dealer John Delaney, and Concord Museum Curator David Wood for a unique evening exploring one of the most precise scientific instruments to ever find its way to America in the 18th century – the Ellicott Astronomical Regulator.

Purchased by Harvard College in 1765 with help from Benjamin Franklin’s London connections, this remarkable timekeeper was one of the most advanced scientific instruments in the world. Though it resembles a domestic clock, its purpose was far grander: to measure tiny increments of time for astronomical observations, including the transit of Venus in 1769. Featuring a temperature-compensating pendulum and other precision features, the regulator contributed to a remarkable global effort that deepened humankind’s understanding of the universe.

Concord minister William Emerson was permitted to place the famous regulator, known as the “College Clock,” in Concord’s meeting house “for the public benefit,” where it could inspire awe at the rare planetary events it documented and pride in the advancement of experimental science during the period of the Revolution. Now, for the first time since 1775, it has returned to Concord.

Come discover the wonder of this historic masterpiece and the stories it tells about science, time, and the pursuit of knowledge.

Arrive early to view the astronomical regulator in the special exhibition Transformed by Revolution.

Members Free | $10 Non-Members | Free Virtual