Exciting new exhibitions explore the history of Science and Navigation
Britain’s oldest provincial learned society, Spalding Gentlemen’s Society, is launching two new exhibitions at the town’s Ayscoughfee Hall Museum this week.
Opening on Friday (27th), they will display a carefully curated range of artefacts, focusing on ‘Science’ and ‘Navigation’.
Founded in 1710 by Maurice Johnson II, eminent members of the Spalding Gentlemen’s Society over the centuries include Sir Isaac Newton, William Stukeley, and Alexander Pope. From its earliest days, the Society has collected ‘curious’ things, including artefacts of national and international importance.
Visitors to Ayscoughfee Hall Museum will get the chance to explore the history of navigation from 1700 to the present day: from the search for an accurate way to measure longitude to modern OS mapping.
In the Ambler Room, discover more about those early Society members whose experiments and discoveries in medicine, botany, optics and engineering helped shape our understanding of science and nature today.
Head of Collections & Operations, Dustin Frazier Wood, explains: “For more than 300 years, the Society has been a beacon of Enlightenment ideals. Today, we aim to connect members, academics, students and the wider public with the collections.”
Dustin continues: “We believe that curiosity, discovery and the search for knowledge can and should be nurtured and open to all. Through these new exhibitions, the Society is excited to welcome as many people as possible to
uncover the intriguing stories behind the Society’s artefacts.”
‘Science’ and ‘Navigation’ are planned to run until Sunday 18th October and are accessible free of charge during Ayscoughfee Hall Museum’s normal opening hours of Wednesday to Sunday, between 10.30am and 4pm.
Find out more about the Society and how to get involved at www.sgsoc.org